Ron Wood wrote on 03/20/2008 04:05:35 PM:

> LSoft Maestro is out there, and LSoft sends very attractively formatted
> materials with images and links built in.. having set that example,
users
> want to imitate it.

Without effort?  Then get something that does the hard work for them?
Something like. perhaps Maestro??

[snip]

> the plain text argument falls on deaf ears. what people expect is flashy
> email marketing with none of the pain.

If they want professional looking, "flashy email marketing" then hire a
professional.  Or use professional tools.

> It's a real problem:
> proliferating user base;
> instructions written in either plain-text or html-savvy voice..
> and nothing for the point-and-click/ drag and drop / "why doesnt the
d___
> thing do what i want" crowd.

I'm still kicking myself for not blocking HTML message when I implemented
spam filtering years ago.  This would probably have thrown your users for
a loop.  "What do you mean you don't want my fancy emails?  How dare you!"
 FWIW, the Department of Defense has banned HTML email as a security risk.
 Plain text email reduces the threat to the level of the joke UNIX virus:
"Please type 'sudo rm -R /'"