sk8r-365 wrote:
> Thus spake John F. Morse: <snip>
>
>> -- John
>>
>> No Microsoft, Apple, Intel, Trend Micro, nor Ford products were used
>> in the preparation or transmission of this message.
>>
>> The EULA sounds like it was written by a team of lawyers who want to
>> tell me what I can't do. The GPL sounds like it was written by a human
>> being, who wants me to know what I can do.
>>
>
> The above message is correct, IMO, but ... while I'm at it - and I'm not
> wanting to offend - it needs to be mentioned your sig file is _too_
> l-o-n-g and should be no more than the accepted 4 lines, less is OK,
> when properly wrapped (I wrapped it). Please.
>
> http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/posting-rules/part1/
>
> "<snip> Please keep your signatures concise, as people do not appreciate
> seeing lengthy signatures, nor paying the phone bills to repeatedly
> transmit them. 2 or 3 lines are usually plenty. Sometimes it is also
> appropriate to add another line or two for addresses on other major
> networks where you can be reached (e.g., CompuServ, Bitnet). Long
> signatures are definitely frowned upon. DO NOT include drawings,
> pictures, maps, or other graphics in your signature -- it is not the
> appropriate place for such material and is viewed as rude by other
> readers."
>
> Thank you,
>


You don't offend me, and I thank you for your kind remarks.

However, as I mentioned in the previous message, it is impossible for me
to wrap the length of the lines at any certain column that everyone
likes. There are too many different newsreaders and preferences used by
all of the USENET people. Those readers will have to wrap wherever they
want the lines to break.

For instance, the "80" column (or less) idea was devised in the
teletypewriter era when everyone used a hard copy printer or printing
terminal, like a Teletype 33 KSR/ASR, a DECwriter, DEC TP-1000, etc.
More than 80 columns created a big, black blob at the end of the line.
At least until smarter printers came out that could count the characters
and force a carriage return at 78 or 80. The CR is now called "Enter" of
course, but that shows the evolution of things.

With modern computers instead of mechanical terminals, and configurable
software, wrap can occur anywhere. Therefore the "80-column rule" is no
longer needed.

I can see where each and every one of the hot gripes by the net nannys
are based on the available technology from back in the 1990s and
earlier. This is 2008, and people need to get up to speed and use what
is available, and quit holding back those who do want to get ahead.
Mostly, they need to stop the petty picking and nannying. A prime
example is a.o.l.ubuntu, which has turned into a very unpleasant place
to try and give or get help.

Please don't fall into this trap sk8tr, and please try and help others
who somehow feel nannying is more important than providing help on the
newsgroup name subjects. The nannying just causes flames and runs off
the good guys, leaving undesirables behind to kill the groups. Before
long they will have completely killed USENET, and then all that will
remain is mailing lists and IRC, both which I despise.

I know very well what is considered "etiquette," or even "standard
rules" by some in USENET, but maybe if you told me why slrn cannot wrap
the lines wherever you prefer them, I'd have an idea why this is such an
issue with you (and many others obviously).

While you are at it (you didn't object to me about this because I wasn't
guilty of it), what is a reason to never top-post? Is it because some
people hate to pound the spacebar to get through long, boring quoted
material after they have read the new stuff? Perhaps because some lazy
replier said a few words at the top and didn't trim anything?

What about me pounding my spacebar to get down to the relevant new
material? If I really need a refresher, I can always scroll back up.
Can't slrn do that, even when using a non-GUI pseudo TTY terminal
without any GUI scrollbars? Does <Shift><Page Up> work for slrn, nn,
tin, or trn?

Not counting the two blank lines, my sig is actually three lines -- if
you don't wrap them. The delimiter isn't part of the sig, it is a
separator and should cause an automatic trim unless a reader is using
trash like OE. The time to send three lines online is microseconds. The
extra lines aren't wasting anybody's canary yellow teleprinter paper
like when the "rule" was established, and the text is not a big
commercial advertisement in nature.

I ask these questions because using something like Thunderbird, I don't
have any problems with line wrap, long sigs, or even multiple sigs like
one a.o.l.ubuntu user whom I'm sure you know, nor even with useful HTML.
My gripe is the need to scroll past stale material to get to the new,
and mostly, having to read constant nannying by those who are
self-appointed USENET police.

Please don't feel offended because I'm not singling you out. I just felt
you deserved an explanation why I do or prefer these things. Perhaps you
will have a second look and maybe even consider a change in preference,
even if you do not actually make any changes as to how you post.

Again, thanks for sharing your opinions, and for listening to mine.

I have replaced my normal sig on this message for you and me.


--
John

Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 1 John 2:10