VOTE ...HTML or Plain Text???

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
In a previous article, "Montblack"
said:
Has the time come for HTML in the newsgroup(s)?

No. Newsgroups are about information, not about fancy formatting.



True, except that tabular information such as in the message this thread was
triggered by is more clearly communicated in a true table rather than a
"psuedo-table" created with space or tab characters that get rearranged by
the news reader. If "fancy formatting" enhances the information transfer
then by all means go for it. For example there was is a recent thread on
the pin-outs of an Isocom intercom. Instead of a manually typed text list
of the pin assignments, wouldn't an image of the schematic embedded in an
HTML message communicate more information more clearly and with less chance
of error? In a case like that it seems to me that "fancy formatting" gives
rise to more information.

In a previous article, "Steve House" said:
the pin-outs of an Isocom intercom. Instead of a manually typed text list
of the pin assignments, wouldn't an image of the schematic embedded in an
HTML message communicate more information more clearly and with less chance
of error? In a case like that it seems to me that "fancy formatting" gives
rise to more information.

And an even better solution would be to stick it on a web site somewhere
and post a link to it. That way the 5 or 6 people who are interested can
see it the way you intended it, and the tens of thousands of news servers
out there don't have to cart around this binary that so few people want to
see.


--
Paul Tomblin , not speaking for anybody
"Very sad life. Probably have very sad death. But at least there is
symmetry. Go, Go, Zathrus take care."

"Steve House" wrote in message ...

Instead of a manually typed text list
of the pin assignments, wouldn't an image of the schematic embedded in an
HTML message communicate more information more clearly and with less chance
of error? In a case like that it seems to me that "fancy formatting" gives
rise to more information.


You're right, that is another good reason not to use HTML. You start putting
binaries in this non-binary newsgroup and news server admins will start
dropping it. Thanks for pointing that out.

On 23 Jul 2003 08:12:06 -0500, "Steve House"
wrote:


"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
In a previous article, "Montblack"
said:
Has the time come for HTML in the newsgroup(s)?

No. Newsgroups are about information, not about fancy formatting.



True, except that tabular information such as in the message this thread was
triggered by is more clearly communicated in a true table rather than a
"psuedo-table" created with space or tab characters that get rearranged by
the news reader. If "fancy formatting" enhances the information transfer
then by all means go for it. For example there was is a recent thread on
the pin-outs of an Isocom intercom. Instead of a manually typed text list
of the pin assignments, wouldn't an image of the schematic embedded in an
HTML message communicate more information more clearly and with less chance
of error? In a case like that it seems to me that "fancy formatting" gives
rise to more information.


In the above case you put the table up on a web page, or PDF and link
to it. That way the newsgroup users can view the table if they wish.

Just like aircraft photos you want to show...You either post them to
the binaries group with a note here, or you put them up on a page
which you link to in the post.

Roger Halstead (K8RI EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
www.rogerhalstead.com
N833R World's oldest Debonair? (S# CD-2)