Zoot Katz <
[email protected]> wrote in message news:<
[email protected]>...
> Sun, 29 Feb 2004 10:22:22 -0500, <
[email protected]>, Top-posting dufus,
> Bill Hole <
[email protected]> snivelled:
>
> >
> >This is not the ignorant response of an "absolute beginner". I've been on Usenet for over a
> >decade and on other BBS's and online services for over 2 decades.
>
> And because you're an idiot never read RFC 1855:
> >"- If you are sending a reply to a message or a posting be sure you summarize the original at the
> >top of the message, or include just enough text of the original to give a context. This will make
> >sure readers understand when they start to read your response. Since NetNews, especially, is
> >proliferated by distributing the postings from one host to another, it is possible to see a
> >response to a message before seeing the original. Giving context helps everyone. But do not
> >include the entire original!
>
> IOW, your preference means spit. Top posting shows everybody that you're a lazy rude idiot who
> probably hasn't anything worth contributing. You won't be missed.
>
> See ya.
Like your style Zoot Katz! You and I are right of course and all those who disagree with us are
wrong. It always amazes me that others can come on to a forum and think they can post anyway they
want and that one way is as good as another. They are woefully ignorant of course but that is the
one thing they do not know. Ignorance feeds on itself and just gets dumber and dumber.
There are conventions for doing most everything in human affairs. Language is the biggest convention
of all and it only makes sense provided everyone observe those conventions. Posting on Usenet is the
same. It is especially rankling when someone of great experience has decided that the conventions
are all wrong and that he will do it his way in the future. Even if the convention were wrong (which
in this case it is not) it would still be a good idea to follow the convention for the benefit of
all unless it can be changed in toto for the benefit of all.
The trouble with this newsgroup is that most of the guys here are getting to be old codgers and we
are all turning into cranks and crackpots. I learned over a year ago that the only way to survive
here is to just call someone who is outrageously transgressing a norm an idiot and move on to the
next idiot. I am going to get out a thesaurus one of these days and look up synonyms for "idiot" as
I find that I am over using the term lately. But there are so many and they are so deserving!
Ed Dolan - Minnesota