> Main argument in favour of only allowing plain text composition: it > can't go wrong. It forwards correctly, displays on any platform, and > doesn't break when encountering an unreasonable mail client. Our users > will never complain that someone couldn't read their messages. > Main argument in favour of rendering incoming HTML emails: other > people use them. Our users shouldn't have to dictate what format their > friends use.
It's not just friends. I have to interact with people who use HTML email. It's my job. > On the issue of someone complaining when you quoted their HTML message > and stripped the formatting: does anyone seriously believe this is a > problem? I reckon most users expect very little from their email > software. That's definitely the case in our university. The students > tend to be pleasantly surprised if a message even gets through on > time. No-one expects formatting to be preserved by someone quoting > them. I think this is actually a fairly good point. Except when it isn't - the example used here being people who are using multiple fonts to distinguish code samples. But mostly, yes, I don't think people give a d*mn whether you strip the html out of their quotes. > On the issue of our users wanting to be able to style their emails: > well, I don't think many people would mind. Most webmail solutions, > used a lot by non-techies, don't allow formatting and that doesn't > seem to diminish their popularity. Certainly in an academic setting > then plain text is standard from everyone but the occasional bored > secretary. This is the kind of thinking that I think Mr. Welch is reacting to. HTML is not just something that bored secretaries use so that they can force you look at comic sans on a pink background. It's something that people in the business world use for business reasons, and you don't get a vote as to whether those reasons are legitimate or not. _______________________________________________ [email protected] mailing list List help: http://lists.ranchero.com/listinfo.cgi/email-init-ranchero.com
