tass sez: >Well, it's quite apparent that the makers of Calypso (Courier), TheBat, >Eudora, Netscape, Pocomail, Outlook, Outlook Express, etc.., etc.., etc.., >never bothered with that ancient chiseled stone either. They all offer >the user >the ability to set their own word wrap.
Ben Kennedy sez: >Thanks tass, we all agree with you. Now, as soon as you can convince the >rest of the internet, we're ready to roll! Okay, you've all touched on a bit of a hot button with me, so I'm going to let something fly here. This isn't meant to be a slam at any one particular person (despite the quotes :) ), so please just take it in the spirit of discussion that it is offered. Things like that said above and a few other bits about old technology and ancient rules don't take into account how big the Internet really is and who is using it. Through my work with UNESCO and other United Nations entities, I was made fully aware that there are numerous countries and peoples who still do not have GUI technology, the wonders of Outlook Express and Netscape, and more. They're lucky to have computers at all and a generator to provide the power to run them. Now, these folks are doing some much needed scientific, agricultural, and other work, and they need to be in contact with the "outside" world. They want access to other scientists, scholars, and helpers. They want the information that will help them finish their projects and studies and move their towns and cities ahead. And they have to do it with 1980s or worse technology, thank you very much. A lot of things are leaving them behind. Even websites for some of the very agencies they depend upon are barely accessible by them thanks to the demise of Gopher, Telnet bulletin board systems, and more. The ONE thing they have always and should be able to count on for communication is email. Email is pure communication, and it should be pure text with as little formatting as possible, so that anyone anywhere can talk to anyone else anywhere and get the vital information they need. Scientists in various parts of the world should not have to be cut off from their counterparts in the wonderful U.S., U.K. or wherever, because of the whims of Bill Gates and our apparent desire to want everything pretty. Daily I hear horror stories from people who get attachments or HTML mail or Microsoft RTF-ized mail and can't read it. They don't understand all the differences and problems. They shouldn't have to, but such is the problem with a million email clients not following the rules. Communication is being hampered; not enhanced. Suffice it to say that I get a little irked that what made the Internet the wonderful collaborative thing it was way back in "ancient times" -- email -- is being bastardized in the interests of progress for the few. We have our toys with Dynamic HTML and CPU-crushing Java and Active scripts and flashy animations eating up swaths of bandwidth. Let's leave email alone so everyone has something they can use whatever tech they might be stuck with. (I'd think my cry is too late, but this topic comes up so often in so many places that I know it isn't.) I'll end my tirade there. Sorry for the lengthy off-topicness. 'Tis a bugaboo. :) -- Michael Lewis Off Balance Productions [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.offbalance.com
