On Tue, Apr 28, 2020 at 06:57:14PM +0100, Sam Kuper wrote: > > When you're talking about a population of people, who is being > > inconsiderate, those who do what the majority prefer, or the minority > > who have made up their own mind that their way is better despite > > what everyone else does? > > That's a false dichotomy.
In practice, it isn't really. The obvious "solution" is to render the message as multipart, but in so doing it looses information--the formatting--which was the point of not using plain text in the first place. And if much of the content is in images, it's much harder to piece together the bits, which is the entire point of using non-ascii mail. That's exactly where we are today, and it's why this thread exists. The obvious solution is no solution at all. You're also counting on the overwhelming majority of e-mail users, who are non-technical, to understand these points and make accommodations, which is impractical and nonsensical, particularly when it is clear to all of them that you, stubbornly clinging to your preferences, is a choice that you've made in the face of (what virtually everyon thinks) are much better choices, and placing an inconvenient burden upon literally the rest of the world for your stubbornness. And that's the essence of the issue. By choosing to use an incapable mail client, you are in a tiny minority of e-mail users, you're causing problems for the overwhelming majority of people who are doing it the normal, accepted way, when you know better, and they don't. You're demanding that those less capable make consessions to your preferences when it would be trivial for you to handle what they sent you by simply choosing one of a myriad of other clients that can do so. Most of them never even heard of Mutt and have no idea there even exist mail clients that can't easily handle the messages they're sending. THAT is SUPREMELY inconsiderate, and your whole argument is stubborn and selfish. And that's why the ascii ribbon campaign died... eventually people realized common practice had moved well past them and they were just wrong. And yes, I continue to use Mutt, and I'm in that tiny cohort. The difference is when there's a breakdown I recognize that *I* am at fault, and I make the necessary accommodations, however begrudgingly. > Moreover, you appear to be committing the logical fallacy called > "argumentum ad populum" (aka "majoritarianism"). No, because accepted practice is determined by the majority (in this case overwhelmingly so), so it's actually the point, not a logic fallacy. -- Derek D. Martin http://www.pizzashack.org/ GPG Key ID: 0xDFBEAD02 -=-=-=-=- This message is posted from an invalid address. Replying to it will result in undeliverable mail due to spam prevention. Sorry for the inconvenience.
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