[ale] OT: top-posting

[Derrick Norris]

Christopher Fowler wrote:
> Okay,
> 
> I want to open a can of worms :)
> 
> We have a sales-rep that sent me this response today in regards to a 
> link I sent him that
> top-posting is "bad".
> 
> /*The link you sent me is one opinion but I think top posting is the only way to go since the rest of the Microsoft world does it that way. And, if we like it or not, they are the top dog in the business world.   Sounds like The Butter Battle Book written by Dr. Seuss to me.*/
> 
> 
> The link I sent:
> 
> http://www.caliburn.nl/topposting.html
> 
> Comments? Flames? 
> 

I'm torn.  I sometimes top-post, sometimes not and it usually depends on 
whether I know a certain venue expects it a certain way.

My email client at work (and it's a Linux client) places the cursor at 
the top when replying, so it assumes you want to top-post.  My mailer at 
home does the opposite.

At work, I actually like top-posted threads because it lets me read the 
most recent addition without any scrolling, and then I can usually tell 
whether I need to spend the time reading the rest of the thread.  When 
technical solutions are being batted back and forth, sometimes I think 
it's easier to read bottom-posted threads, but for me personally it's 
not enough more difficult to read from bottom-to-top to make it worth 
debating the point.

The best posting method IMO especially when several people are 
contributing to a discussion is to embed comments into appropriate spots 
in the previous posts.  And of course the worst is when you have a mix 
of top-posters and bottom-posters.

-Derrick