In the olden days, I didn't have much trouble expressing myself with a
typewriter, didn't need any HTML then. And usually the only legitimate
form of emphasis in text is italics, or, when italics are unavailable,
underlining or something like _this technique_. Even users of HTML
should practice such restraint.

As far as graphics are concerned, these do not occur frequently enough
to warrant changing _everything else_ about e-mail. What you need
there is an auxiliary mechanism, not HTML mail.

To me, that's the whole story from the point of view of writing a good
text.

- Barry (a happy Mutt user)