Re: Reply Top Posting

On Wed, 26 Nov 2008, M.RossARR wrote:

> Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:19:18 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time)
> From: M.RossARR <[email protected]>
> Reply-To: Alpine Forum List <[email protected]>
> To: Alpine Forum List <[email protected]>
> Cc: Pine Forum List <[email protected]>
> Subject: [Pine-info] Reply Top Posting
>

<snip>

>
> May I suggest to whoever, for a future update (I understand Pine is
> dead so Alpine), if technically possible - being software it should
> be, the cursor be programmed to start in position for reply just
> above the signature block a line or two, which would normally be at
> the bottom of the previous post. The only way to top post then would
> be for the writer to manually move the cursor up there, which would
> be an abnormal effort.
>
> For other purposes, making interim comment between paragraphs,
> editing, it really does not matter. The effort then is not top
> posting anyway. All rules ignored!
>
> That's my 2cents worth! Is it possible? Any comments?
>
>

It seems logical and appropriate, to me, for the cursor to automatically 
go to a position immediately above the signature block of a replier, so 
that, where top posting is set and used the cursor defaults to the top 
of the message, and, where bottom posting is set, the cursor defaults to 
a position a line under the message to which the reply is being 
composed, and a couple of lins above the signature block of the poster.

If a person uses inline posting, which many people use, if not always, 
then, on occasion, as they bel;ieve the need arises, then the cursor 
could default as for bootom posting, with the person moving the cursor 
to where it is needed to insert the inline responses.

That is how I expect for it to work.

Unfortunately, however, the Wasington University, after decades of 
service to computing, in its creation and maintenance of PINE, has 
apparently abandoned computing and PINE, and has left PINE "dead in the 
water", with no support any more.

This is unfortunate, as I believe that, even if Washington University 
cannot afford to pay people to support PINE, it could incorporate the 
ongoing support of PINE, into its undergraduate (or, postgraduate, if 
necessary) programs, even if as something like a dedicated unit; "Online 
Software Support", or something, which could give its graduates, an 
extra advantage, in having on their resume, that they have been involved 
in the online software support of a significant software package.

I think that that would be better than simply abandoning the software, 
to die.

It reminds me of people who have domestic cats, that are so domesticated 
that the cats cannot fend for themselves, and the cats do not even know 
that they can eat animals like birds and mice, and, one day, getting 
bored with the cats, simply take them for a drive in the country, and 
then dump the cats and abandon the cats to die. And, I have seen the 
results, both the cats that do manage to survive, and, the cats that are 
forced to die miserable and cruel deaths.

--
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............

"So once you do know what the question actually is,
  you'll know what the answer means."
- Deep Thought,
   Chapter 28 of Book 1 of
   "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
   A Trilogy In Four Parts",
   written by Douglas Adams,
   published by Pan Books, 1992

....................................................
_______________________________________________
Pine-info mailing list
[email protected]
http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/pine-info