Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

["David R. Matusiak" <dave AT matusiak.org>]

<std_disclaim: just think of it as stream-of-consciousness free verse 
poetry>


is calling someone's thoughts "silly" the same as calling someone a 
"pompous ass"?

is making someone feel "even sillier" the same as labeling them a 
"pedantic twit"?

or are "silly" and "sillier" light enough on the Insult Index, thus 
allowing one to backpedal and mention "Hey, I was only trying to help 
them not be stupid."??

do you find it annoying to read an unnecessarily long pseudo-post (much 
like this one) which attempts to prove a point to a mixed group of 
people who cumulatively care, don't care, don't understand, and/or 
couldn't care less?

i mean, doing any of the above is nowhere near as bad as asking someone 
if they were "dropped on their head as a child" or if they "are 
retarded" or saying they belong to some kinky Satanic Chicken Lover 
cult, but i certainly wouldn't step up to the mound to lob such insults 
at someone.  (after all, i am still holding out hope of getting my 
"Dream Job" right here in the Triangle!)

i am no netiquettologist (IANN) - but i think it is pretty rude to send 
messages thinly veiled with ones disgust for having to descend to the 
level of commoners in order to gripe at them about cleaning up their 
squalor.  i don't have the definitive answer to such important 
questions, but i imagine all you adults can arrive at your own 
conclusions.

now, if this "Top posting is blatantly wrong" idea is supported by some 
type of Internet Standards group, then just point me to the RFC and i 
would be glad to review the technical specifications and determine 
whether my electronic communications comply.

i have noticed that all of the mail in question reads just fine on both 
my GUI mail client (Mac OS X Mail.app) and my CLI mail client (pine), 
so please report any technical problems with reading your mail to the 
list and we would be glad to help troubleshoot.  alternatively, you 
could always browse the newsgroups related to your particular mail 
reader and try to find a solution to your problem.

perhaps it is not a technical hurdle that need be overcome.  perhaps 
this is a personal *preference* that might need adjustment for use in 
the real world.  do people want to go on and on (ad infinitum) about 
"netiquette" or do they simply want to go on with their lives and allow 
others to do the same?  (if that were the case, then we could all 
exhaust ourselves pointing out "things that other people *shouldn't* do 
on the internet").

has this three day binge on the evils of top-posting done anyone any 
good?

those of us who are /only/ interested in what we have to say will 
continue to top-post.
we are not interested in furthering contention or retention or whatever 
(as was implied by the long-rambling, now-snipped post).

those who want to bottom-post or middle-post will continue to do so, as 
well.

and what about all those folks whose panties *aren't* grasped in a wad 
so tight around their groin that it is cutting off oxygen to their 
brain?  what about those who might respond to the list and don't give a 
flippin' thought as to exactly where their words are placed?  what 
about them?

will they post anything now?

will they be discouraged from participating altogether?

will they "feel silly" for not doing it the way "the pros" do it?

<imaginary_context>
"Yes, please come join InterNetWorkers!!
*BUT* don't post anything incorrectly, you retarded fuck!!"
</imaginary_context>

thanks, by the way, for needling at one of my pet-peeves long enough to 
unleash this diatribe.  don't say you didn't feel it coming...

i am certainly not trolling for responses on this one, as i would 
rather not hear of this lame-assed subject ever again.

ta ta --
/drm

--
"Take my word I'm a madman don't you know."  - Bernie Taupin, 1970
--