Top posting and double spacing

[Larry Martell]

My personal rule is that I will give people 1 or 2 chances after they
are asked. If they continue to top post or send double space posts, I
simply ignore everything from them until they get with the program. If
we all did that maybe they'd get the message (but probably not).

 

[Roy Smith]

My personal rule is that I will give people 1 or 2 chances after they
are asked. If they continue to top post or send double space posts, I
simply ignore everything from them until they get with the program. If
we all did that maybe they'd get the message (but probably not).

I have a somewhat more dynamic rule. If the subject looks interesting,
I click on it. A window opens up with the article (speaking from a
newsreader perspective here) in it. If the first screen contains
nothing interesting, the odds of my scrolling down to see what might
come later are approximately zero.

 

[Rustom Mody]

My personal rule is that I will give people 1 or 2 chances after they
are asked. If they continue to top post or send double space posts, I
simply ignore everything from them until they get with the program. If
we all did that maybe they'd get the message (but probably not).

I think this is right. The only thing I will add is this:
If the person answering the technical question also gently mentions the
breach of etiquette, it would be more effective than some third party expressing
bald irritation.

What we need is something like the following self-policing rules:

- First couple of answers, say nothing about etiquette/norms
- Then start putting a gentle footnote indicating the issue along with the answer
- If the problem is not attempted to be addressed, increase the severity
of the warning and decrease the content of the answers
- Stop answering content. Only 'tag' the mail 'top-posted' 'double-spaced'
'html-mail' whatever. No other technical response
- Stop responding

 

[Sivaram Neelakantan]

On Thu, Feb 13 2014,Rustom Mody wrote:


[snipped 11 lines]

What we need is something like the following self-policing rules:

- First couple of answers, say nothing about etiquette/norms
- Then start putting a gentle footnote indicating the issue along with the answer
- If the problem is not attempted to be addressed, increase the severity
of the warning and decrease the content of the answers
- Stop answering content. Only 'tag' the mail 'top-posted' 'double-spaced'
'html-mail' whatever. No other technical response
- Stop responding

This works for people willing to listen and adapt. And that pretty
much answers your suggestions since the email netiquette posts
appeared about a decade ago?


sivaram
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