I've done some experimentation -- without claim that it has been 100%
exhaustive -- using my email client (Thunderbird) and I find there are
no problems with long URLs being wrapped, even in plain text messages!
I have seen others successfully posting very long URLs to IBM-MAIN as
well. For example:
http://bama.ua.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0711&L=ibm-main&P=R2151&I=1&X=-
http://bama.ua.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0710&L=ibm-main&P=R38347&I=1&X=-
http://bama.ua.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0712&L=ibm-main&P=R22222&I=1&X=-
These long URLs -- fully maintained as such in the LISTSERV archives --
appear in my email client starting at the left edge of the window with
the right-most portion of the URL extending beyond the right edge of the
window as necessary, requiring scroll bar movement only if one desires
to actually inspect the entire URL.
Clicking on a long URL, in an email received from the LISTSERV or
directly from an individual, starts my browser (Firefox) and positions
me to the intended web page as expected.
Based on this research, I don't believe there is an issue here. Long
URLs are fully supported in plain text messages by both email clients
and by the LISTSERV. There is no need for so-called "tiny" URLs.
The list participants, using email clients that "break" long URLs,
should upgrade to a newer version of their client or, in the absence of
a newer client with acceptable functionality, change to an email client
without this problem. (Most of them are free!)
If we're lucky, the resultant upgrades will also solve some of the
nagging issues with people stubbornly using email clients on this list
that don't properly support RFC 2646
(http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2646.txt) for quoting posts.
--
Edward E Jaffe
Phoenix Software International, Inc
5200 W Century Blvd, Suite 800
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310-338-0400 x318
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.phoenixsoftware.com/
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