Gentoo Archives: gentoo-amd64

From: Duncan <1i5t5.duncan@×××.net>
To: gentoo-amd64@l.g.o
Subject: [gentoo-amd64] Re: Re: initio seen, mt -f doesn't work
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 13:04:36
Message-Id: pan.2005.12.12.12.57.46.653576@cox.net
In Reply to: Re: [gentoo-amd64] Re: initio seen, mt -f doesn't work by Gavin Seddon
1 Gavin Seddon posted <1134389659.10966.6.camel@linuxstation>, excerpted
2 below, on Mon, 12 Dec 2005 12:14:19 +0000:
3
4 > I thought comments should be posted at the top of the rply so users
5 > don't have to scroll thru' endless postings to reach the necessary
6 > 'bit'.
7
8 That's the point about trimming the quote to only that to which you are
9 replying, not the whole "endless postings" thing, several levels of quotes
10 deep. =8^)
11
12 While there are exceptions, a general rule of thumb is that if you are
13 quoting more than a page of previous content before your first bit of
14 reply, you are quoting too much. While folks use different sized displays
15 and pages on those displays, the idea is that your first bit of reply will
16 be on the first page of a reasonably sized page display. If you find you
17 are much beyond that, then you are either trying to reply to too many
18 points at once (instead of each within context, so point-1-quote, reply,
19 point-2-quote, reply, etc). Alternatively, if it's /still/ way to much
20 quote, sometimes it's best to summarize in your own words (fewer than in
21 the original quote) what you would have quoted. This is traditionally
22 still marked with the > quote mark, but with the summary then in brackets,
23 like so:
24
25 > Direct quoted part [and a bit of summary] of a longer quote.
26
27 Do it right, and with exceptions such as error message quotes or the
28 like that you can't properly edit or summarize without losing context,
29 you will normally have roughly a paragraph or two of quote, followed by
30 your reply, possibly followed with more quote and reply, but seldom more
31 than a page of quote at a time, so very seldom is the reader out of sight
32 of reply content you've written yourself. (Again, screen and window size
33 differ. Obviously, it'll often be several pages if someone's trying to
34 read it on the typical mobile phone display! =8^)
35
36 Here's one reference (which lists others at the bottom).
37 http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/gey_stv0.htm
38
39 As he makes clear, it's considered quite rude to fully quote a 5-page
40 article, with a single line reply, /either/ top or bottom. If netiquette
41 is properly followed, that five-page quote would be reduced to a 1-2
42 paragraph quote, or summary if a direct quote can't properly transmit
43 context, with the single line (or two or three) reply at the bottom, but
44 still on the same page, because the quote has been properly trimmed.
45
46 Of course, if you are forwarding the quote with a comment of your own to
47 someone not likely to read the orignal article, /then/ the rules are a bit
48 different. /Then/, it's best to either include the quote as an
49 attachment, or after your introductory comment. However, on a mailing
50 list or newsgroup, most will have read the previous comments, so need only
51 the context necessary to place your reply properly. Putting the quote
52 afterward doesn't give them context. Putting it before but quoting the
53 whole thing (if long like this is) doesn't give them context. Failing
54 to include a quote at all doesn't give them context. Only proper trimming
55 to the necessary context, summarizing if necessary, then placing it
56 /before/ your reply, yields the desired context in which to properly
57 interpret the reply.
58
59 --
60 Duncan - List replies preferred. No HTML msgs.
61 "Every nonfree program has a lord, a master --
62 and if you use the program, he is your master." Richard Stallman in
63 http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/pub/a/linux/2004/12/22/rms_interview.html
64
65
66 --
67 gentoo-amd64@g.o mailing list