I've just finished cleaning up January's archive file so I can import
it to my database of all Europa e-mail postings, and I've spent _way_
too much time stripping out HTML and other excresences to make it
readable. (If anyone can point me to a perl script or whatever that
will do this MIME processing for me, please let me know.)
Anyway, here is the best advice I have been able to locate on how to
stop emitting HTML, and receive my heartfelt thanks.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Posting Using HTML
Please don't.
HTML-formatted postings are not welcomed in newsgroups or most e-mail
lists. While your software may interpret HTML correctly, there are
many clients in use, most of which have only minimal ability to
correctly display HTML. Also, HTML postings often include your
message twice: a plain text version is followed immediately by a
version including HTML tags. This extra version of your message more
than doubles the total length of the posting, and adds unnecessary
download time for other readers. Between other users' software's
inability to correctly interpret your posting, and the longer
postings costing additional money to download (much of the world
outside the United States doesn't have free local calling), you're
likely to receive complaints if you post in HTML. These complaints
can range from polite to thermonuclear.
If you're using Netscape Navigator/Communicator or Microsoft Internet
News/Outlook Express to read and post news articles, you're affected.
What may seem to you like a plain text message could actually be
posted in HTML without you realizing it, because of the way those
software packages are designed.
If you're using Netscape Collabra 4.x or Microsoft Outlook Express
and you post with vcards, you will likely also get requests to stop
doing so. For those using other newsreaders, vcards just look like a
really long signature, which readers commonly find annoying.
Here is how to turn off HTML posting in Netscape and Microsoft products:
Netscape 3.x or earlier:
1. From the top menu bar, select Options | Mail and News
Preferences | Composition
2. Make sure that Allow 8-bit is selected ( not MIME compliant )
3. If there is a Use HTML Composition Window selection
available, please be sure it is not selected
Netscape Communicator 4.0x (Collabra discussion groups):
1. From the top menu bar, select Edit | Preferences | Mail &
Groups | Messages
2. Make sure the box is empty next to By default, send HTML messages
3. To disable vcards, please also go to Mail & Groups |
Identity, and make sure the box is empty next to Always attach
Address Book Card to messages.
Netscape Communicator 4.5 (Newsgroups):
1. From the top menu bar, select Edit | Preferences | Mail &
Newsgroups | Formatting
2. In the Message formatting box, select Use the plain text
editor to compose messages
3. To disable vcards, please also go to Mail & Newsgroups |
Identity, and make sure the box is empty next to Attach my personal
card to messages (as a vCard).
Microsoft Internet News:
1. Select menu News
2. Select Options | Send
3. Check the Plain Text box
Microsoft Outlook Express:
1. From the main menu, select Tools | Options | Send | Mail or News
2. Check the Plain Text box, preferably for both mail and news
(many mail clients can't handle HTML either, so it's best not to send
it unless you're sure your recipient can read it)
- - - - - - - -
{The above information is slightly adapted from what's available at:
<http://sc1.scconsult.com/~nnq/nhtml.html> and mirrored at other
sites including: <http://www.ptialaska.net/~kmorgan/nhtml.html>}
I intend to add this to the list FAQ, but in the meantime, would the
following folk, all of whom made postings in HTML during January
2000, _please_ see if they can find the time to implement the above
suggestions?
"JR (Bob) Gowing" <gowingjr@acr.net.au>
"Dave Simpson" <Dave_Simpson@londonweb.net>
"RWM-SYSTEMS" <rwm-systems@koti.tpo.fi>
"DIANE KETTLE" <DIANE@dianekettle.flyer.co.uk>
"GERAINT L OWENS" <lloyd.owens@lineone.net>
"Peter Thomas" <peter.thomas@Avnet.co.uk>
"europabowie" <europabowie@netscapeonline.co.uk>
"Barahona Alonso, Francisco Javier" <javier.barahona@aeasa.com>
"Andrew Beaumont" <andrew.beaumont@dial.pipex.com>
"Rob Housman" <rob-housman@worldnet.att.net>
"John Riddalls" <John@jriddalls.flyer.co.uk>
"dfgeldermann" <dgeldermann@email.msn.com>
"Alan D Stewart" <alan.stewart@cableinet.co.uk>
"Paul McAllister" <pma@obtero.net>
"cliffshaw" <07reddog@prodigy.net>
"Roger Anderson" <PRAnderson@dcanderson.freeserve.co.uk>
"william dewey" <william@dewey.flyer.co.uk>
"Tony Krzyzewski" <tonyk@kaon.co.nz>
Mark Clark <mcclark@yebo.co.za>
Nigel Hutchinson-Brooks <nhb@netspace.net.au>
Chris Beck <n9zes@execpc.com>
Chuck Popenoe <cpops@bellatlantic.net>
Graham Singleton <grasingleton@avnet.co.uk>
Thanks in advance for your help.
regards
Rowland
... that's Rowland with a 'w' ...
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