VOTE ...HTML or Plain Text???

On 23 Jul 2003 08:01:19 -0500, "Steve House"
wrote:

I use OE on my laptop and Forte Agent on my desktop and just tested both
with the original HTML message that prompted this discussion. With OE got a
real pretty table that was far more readable than the text version of the
message. Using Forte Agent got a table that was virtually identical to the
original text version message except that the HTML version didn't have the
line breaks rearranged by word wrapping. As a result even in Agent the HTML
table was more readable even though the fonts and colours were the same as
the text message. I have to say that I don't understand the emotional
attachment some people have for software that dates to the days when
monitors ran on kerosene instead of electricity, especially when products
that reflect the current state of the art like OE are free or very, very
inexpensive.

It's not an emotional attachment. It's the knowledge of what some one
can do to your computer through an HTML enabled e-mail, or news
reader.

DOS was nice, OS360 was a great operating system, Hollerith
cards were pretty, but it's time to move on grin. I have a client, a
computer training firm no less, that still uses an early version of Eudora
for their internal email even though MS Office is their desktop standard
otherwise - every time I send an email with an attachment from MS
Office/Outlook I have to remember that they get gibberish unless I force it
to plain text format. While it's true, IMHO, that it's not necessary to
have the very latest whizbang version of everything, it doesn't make sense
to stay 5 or more years behind the curve either.

In their case they are using common sense...whether they realize it or
not.

The problems (that's plural) come from all the avenues the nice and
handy new stuff opens into your computer for those who wish to exploit
it, or you.

Those old text only news readers are far safer than OE, or Outlook
with HTML enabled.

I use Agent (the full version) for news groups and OE for mail (with
HTML and the other *stuff* turned off, so it's a straight text reader.
I much prefer OE to the supposedly more superior Outlook.

All 4 systems here run XP Pro and Office XP. All use Netscape 7.1 (or
Mozilla) for browsing.

I don't open attachments from any one with out an explanation as to
what is attached and a confirmation. (IE..Did you send this to me?)

If I receive a news letter that is in HTML and I want to read it in
HTML, I can enable HTML temporarily which is a quick and simple
operation.

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


"Montblack" wrote in message
. ..
I was surprised by the acceptance of an HTML post in another thread. I,
for
one, could read the HTML fine. Others said the same thing.

Has the time come for HTML in the newsgroup(s)?

My (change is bad - we fear change) vote is no HTML ... for now.

I'm being fuddy-duddy with my reason: I get bombarded with "wow" media
all
day. It's a nice change of pace to read the ol' newsgroups in a plain text
format.

I have no clue what technical problems HTML causes for some other
newsgroup
participants.

Your vote on HTML.....?

--
Montblack

Roger Halstead wrote in message
...
[snip]

Those old text only news readers are far safer than OE, or Outlook
with HTML enabled.

I use Agent (the full version) for news groups and OE for mail (with
HTML and the other *stuff* turned off, so it's a straight text reader.
I much prefer OE to the supposedly more superior Outlook.


How DO you turn off HTML etc. in OE for reading? I looked for a while last
night and couldn't find it...

Thanks!
John Clonts
Temple, Texas

On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 08:31:34 -0500, "John Clonts"
wrote in Message-Id:
:

How DO you turn off HTML etc. in OE for reading? I looked for a while last
night and couldn't find it...

Right. When you read the HTML e-mail message, Outlook retrieves data
from the web. That's the last thing I want my e-mail client doing. I
much prefer to retain control over my web activity rather than
relinquishing control to Mr. Gates.


--

Irrational beliefs ultimately lead to irrational acts.
-- Larry Dighera,

On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 08:31:34 -0500, "John Clonts"
wrote:


How DO you turn off HTML etc. in OE for reading? I looked for a while last
night and couldn't find it...

Tools, Options, Read, Read all messages in plain text.

ArtP wrote in message
...
On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 08:31:34 -0500, "John Clonts"
wrote:


How DO you turn off HTML etc. in OE for reading? I looked for a while
last
night and couldn't find it...

Tools, Options, Read, Read all messages in plain text.


Hmm, thanks for the reply, but that option is not in my Tools/Options/Read
properties dialog. Outlook Express 5.00. What version are you using?

Cheers,
John Clonts
Temple, Texas

"ArtP" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 08:31:34 -0500, "John Clonts"
wrote:


How DO you turn off HTML etc. in OE for reading? I looked for a while
last
night and couldn't find it...

Tools, Options, Read, Read all messages in plain text.

At home I'm using Outlook Express 6.00, at work OE 5.00. Neither seems to
have this option. What version of Outlook Express are you using?

Thanks,
John

"John Clonts" wrote in message
...

"ArtP" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 08:31:34 -0500, "John Clonts"
wrote:


How DO you turn off HTML etc. in OE for reading? I looked for a while
last
night and couldn't find it...

Tools, Options, Read, Read all messages in plain text.

At home I'm using Outlook Express 6.00, at work OE 5.00. Neither seems to
have this option. What version of Outlook Express are you using?
It should be there. Certainly is on 6, and I'm sure it was there on 5.
'Tools' pull down, 'option', then as he says select 'read'. Then there is a
tick box under 'reading messages', for 'read all messages in plain text'.

Best Wishes

John Clonts ) wrote:
:
: How DO you turn off HTML etc. in OE for reading? I looked for a while
: last night and couldn't find it...
:
http://www.expita.com/nomime.html
Configuring Mail Clients to Send Plain ASCII Text

"What is wrong with sending HTML or MIME messages?

There are now six main reasons for NOT doing this:

[snip]

4. Embedded HTML or MIME attachments are the number one method of
spreading virus, worm or Trojan programs.

For instance, the Forgotten worm was written in Visual Basic
Script and spread without any attachment. Instead, the worm code
was embedded into the HTML formatted message body.

The I Love You worm program exploited an ActiveX vulnerability and
was executed just by viewing or previewing the e-mail message
without opening any attachment.

Likewise, embedded code could exploit some MS Office vulnerability
as with Office ODBC Vulnerabilites and Specially Formed Script in
HTML Mail can Execute in Exchange 5.5

[snip]

Turning Off HTML or MIME

There are now a variety of HTML/MIME programs, including but not
limited to:

* Agent/Free Agent
* AOL 5.0 and earlier
* AOL 6.0
* AOL 7.0 REVISED
* AOL 8.0 NEW
* AOL 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 Alternate NEW
* CompuServe 2, 3 and 4
* CompuServe 2000
* Entourage 2001 (MacIntosh)
* Entourage X (MacIntosh)
* Eudora Light v3.0.5 and earlier
* Eudora Light v3.0.6
* Eudora Pro v4.0.2 and earlier
* Eudora Pro v4.2 and later
* Eudora v5.0
* Hotmail
* IncrediMail Xe
* Juno v5.0
* Lotus Notes R5
* Mac OS X Mail NEW
* MS Internet Explorer 4.0, 5.0, 5.50 and 6.0
* MSN Explorer 6.0
* MSN Explorer 7.0
* MS Exchange 4.0 and other MS problems
+ WINMAIL.DAT (TNEF) attachments UPDATED
+ Equal signs at end of lines
+ ISO 8859-1 or other character sets
* Mozilla 1.1
* Netscape Communicator 3.xx
* Netscape Communicator 4.0x - 4.4x
* Netscape Communicator 4.5, 4.6, 4.7
* Netscape Communicator 6.0 - 6.1
* Netscape Communicator 6.2
* Netscape Communicator 7.0 PR1, Final NEW
* Novell Groupwise UPDATED
* Outlook 2000 UPDATED
* Outlook 2002
* Outlook Express 4.0
* Outlook Express 5.0, 5.50, and 6.00
* Outlook 97 (without Service Release 1 SR1)
* Outlook 97 (with Service Release 1 SR1)
* Outlook 98 (Work group version)
* Outlook 98 (Internet version)
* Pegasus Mail 3.x
* Pegasus Mail 4.x
* Pine 4.x (Unix)
* Pine 4.x (Windows)
* Poco 2.xx
* TheBat! v1.18
* WebTV
* Yahoo Mail UPDATED..."

Just click on the link for your news reader; e.g.:

Outlook Express 5.0, 5.50, and 6.00

HTH,

--Jerry Leslie (my opinions are strictly my own)
Note: is invalid for email

" Outlook is a piece of software for giving remote access by
email to all the bugs in Internet Explorer !"