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Thread: Re: HTML vs. Yahoo or plain text




Re: HTML vs. Yahoo or plain text
user name
2007-01-21 11:16:06
Tim:

> ...HTML ...used to be a foundation of spam and virus
emails. I
> still have a catch-all filter that throws unfiltered
HTML email into the
> trash. Very effective at catching spam that the spam
filters don't.

My volume of email's probably much less than yours, but
between my ISP 
and McAfee I've never had a problem that way. Tossing out
the option of 
formatted email strikes me as overkill, although it may have
made sense 
at an earlier stage in the spam wars.

> The thing is you really don't have it with HTML email
either -- only 
> if the
> recipient is using an appropriate reader with
approprate settings...

HTML seems to be the default in all popular browsers these
days. I know 
many people who have no idea that their email applications
have such 
options or why they would want to use them, and their mail
to me comes 
in formatted.

As for Windows security, I grant you that's an issue. But
again I've 
seen and even used PCs which have too many security programs
on them. 
With so many free ones out there and the claims made for
them, people 
pile so many redundant filters on their systems that the
computer starts 
to crawl. I've been on friends' PCs where the hard disk is
scanned top 
to bottom every time you boot up, after which a dialog box
from another 
program pops up wanting to scan the disk again. The threat
posed by HTML 
itself seems like a single leaf in the forest in this
paranoid landscape.

> What I find works well in those situations is posting
an example to a web
> page.... 

...which, as you point out, isn't always an option.

> There you can use HTML if you wish (obviously), but you
can use a
> graphic to ensure that information is displayed
properly (HTML renders
> differently in different browsers/ on different
systems)...

As you imply, typical email editors allow you to insert
graphics. 
However, the formatting options are basic and unlikely to
run up against 
browser issues. Plus, you can always provide the graphic...
> or even put up a PgS
> file. 

...as an attachment with or without HTML. (But probably not
on this list.)

As for...

> put a link to where the information is at. 

I think we all do that at times. However, you yourself have
had to 
resort to extremely long-winded descriptions or
unsatisfactory 
fixed-width text "illustrations" to try to make
your points on this 
list. The fundamental problem here is that there's no
obvious place to 
post a public example. Sure, I could make a little PDF
illustrating 
various types of indents and upload it to Deron, Dan, or
what you refer 
to as "the group." But just where is that after
I've sent it off? I 
don't know and, therefore, I can't provide a link to it. The
closest I 
could come would be to add a "comment" with
examples to the 
documentation on the web site and point to that. That's why
I look 
forward to the day when we have a PageStream Forum where we
can carry on 
these discussions.

As for references to "www*dot*mywebpage," I've
seen this occasionally on 
this list. I've only followed such a link on one occasion,
and that was 
after the discussion had gone through several days of
exchanges and I 
needed to see exactly what the person was doing. Call me
lazy, but I 
rarely follow those links unless it's something big. For a
lot of simple 
ad hoc examples it seems like overkill.

Anyhow, thanks to the person who pointed out that there's a
way to shut 
off new look of Yahoo messages. I've just done that and look
forward to 
seeing the next PageStream Group posting to see if it worked
as expected.

HB


 
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Re: HTML vs. Yahoo or plain text
user name
2007-01-21 12:03:19
Henry G Belot wrote:

Snip...

> Anyhow, thanks to the person who pointed out that
there's a way to shut 
> off new look of Yahoo messages. I've just done that and
look forward to 
> seeing the next PageStream Group posting to see if it
worked as expected.
>
> HB
>   

You're welcome.

Now you have only text, and the yahoo (text!) links.

One of them tells you that you are traditional (as I am). Or
am I old?

Theo


 
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Re: HTML vs. Yahoo or plain text
user name
2007-01-21 16:39:38
Just responding to a couple of points (not that the others
weren't salient or 
useful but I have nothing further to add).

On Sunday 21 January 2007 11:16, Henry G Belot wrote:
> Tim:
[snip]
> program pops up wanting to scan the disk again. The
threat posed by HTML
> itself seems like a single leaf in the forest in this
paranoid landscape.

Actually its one of the more serious threats. For example,
using iframes to 
load hidden content for launching attacks against the PC.
View the virus 
email as HTML and voila, hacked PC. Somewhat tangential, but
pertinent to 
those who use Windows (whether they are aware of the dangers
or not).

[snip]
> As for references to "www*dot*mywebpage,"
I've seen this occasionally on
> this list. I've only followed such a link on one
occasion, and that was
> after the discussion had gone through several days of
exchanges and I
> needed to see exactly what the person was doing. Call
me lazy, but I
> rarely follow those links unless it's something big.
For a lot of simple
> ad hoc examples it seems like overkill.

It does have some nice points though. One, you can actually
control how it 
appears. HTML gives the illusion of control without the
actuality of it which 
can lead to confusion/miscommunication. Second, it doesn't
burden the list 
with potentially large issues.

Is it as quick and easy as formatting text in an email? No,
but other than 
bold, italics and underline there's very little that you can
actually format 
in email. Outlook loves to remove line breaks, for example,
and there's no 
way to set tab stops. So illustrating a simple tab example
just isn't 
feasible (a mockup using HTML tables might be possible, but
that is more work 
than "quick and easy").

Especially when discussing page layout email is often not
the most efficient 
means of describing a situation or problem, but IMO using
HTML at best gives 
an illusion of bridging the gap while introducing security
issues.

Tim Doty


 
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