We will let the Mythbusters settle that matter shall we...LOL
"n0apla2l" wrote in message
om...
Craig Lewis wrote in message
...

Here are some conversations that airline passengers normally
will never hear. The following are accounts of actual exchanges
between airline pilots and control towers around the world.

Old but still funny. Lest anybody be fooled, however, these are NOT
"actual exchanges between airline pilots and control towers around the
world". They are fictional.

Top posting is not inherently enefarious, but like any tool, it can be used for good or for evil. In cases where the response requires context, it is
good to give a hint of the context before the reply by quoting a well selected part of the original post, and posting your reply below. Often the
post has already been read (though forgotten) by the reader, but often it has not yet reached the reader and the context is essential or your own
point gets lost.

However, if your post stands on its own even in the absence of context, then it is often better to top post. Those who want additional context can
see it below, but most people will not need this context and can just move on or reply after seeing your words. Most people will not need this
context =because= your post is self-contained; if your post is not self contained then obviously this doesn't apply in that case.

I suppose that problems arise because one =thinks= their post is self contained, (after all, the poster knows the context) but it in fact is not. I
won't venture a guess as to how many people think how many posts are how far past that line, except to say that it appears that enough do to sustain
this usenet perpetual motion machine.

Never confuse motion with action.
Never confuse action with results.

And never confuse results with what you wanted in the first place.

Jose
(note - I only follow rec.aviation.piloting, of the 3 groups I replied to)

ShawnD2112 wrote on 11/15/2004 22:47:

I've never understood why top posting is seen as such an evil thing. What am I missing?


A: No.
Q: Should I include quotations after my reply?

Or, in other words, top-posting reverses the normal flow of reading.

-Joe


--
Freedom. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 06:47:01 GMT, "ShawnD2112"
wrote:

Bob,

That brings up a question you might be able to answer for me. I've never
understood why top posting is seen as such an evil thing. What am I
missing?

Cheers,
Shawn

The normal sequence of reading, processing, and understanding the
conversation.

The only place where the question is normally seen after the answer is
on Jeopardy - and you're no Alex Trebeck

ShawnD2112 wrote:

I've never understood why top posting is seen as such an evil thing.
What am I missing?

Two reasons:

One, as a thread progresses, a mix of top and bottom posting becomes
confusing when someone wants to look back through the quoted material.
Since most posters to newsgroups bottom post, that is the de facto
standard method. Email users typically top post, so that becomes the
standard for email.

Two, top posters often quote the entire text below their reply without
editing it. That makes the replies longer than they need to be. You
often see a one line "me too" post, followed by several hundred lines of
quote. Bottom posters seem to be more into the habit of quoting only
what is necessary to retain continuity, so it keeps the length of the
posts under control.

Dave S wrote:
Thanks...

Thats maybe the 4th time this year I've seen those... just for those of
us who dont know how to google..

Dave



I laugh every time. I don't care how many times it is posted.

The bad news about getting older: I forget that I have already told a
joke to my friends.
The good news about getting older: My friends have forgotten the punch
lines.


The good news about alzhimeres:

There are never any reruns.
Every joke is a new joke.
You get to go to bed with a new woman every night.

ShawnD2112 wrote:

Bob,

That brings up a question you might be able to answer for me. I've never
understood why top posting is seen as such an evil thing. What am I
missing?


Not saying please or thank you is not evil either but it IS bad manners
and goes against established protocals that have been around for many,
many years.

On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 14:39:13 GMT, m pautz
proclaimed:

The good news about alzhimeres:

There are never any reruns.
Every joke is a new joke.
You get to go to bed with a new woman every night.


The really nice thing about Alzheimers is you get to hide your own
Easter eggs.

Right. Got all that, guys, thanks. I guess I've always just posted the way
Outlook Express defaults, which seems to be top posting. Can I change that
default or do I just page down and delete bits as appropriate?

I guess I actually prefer top posting, especially when I'm reading a thread,
as I've already read the original post and just want to read someone's
reply, not page down through dozens of lines to see it.

Cheers,
Shawn
"Joachim Feise" wrote in message
...
ShawnD2112 wrote on 11/15/2004 22:47:

I've never understood why top posting is seen as such an evil thing.
What am I missing?

A: No.
Q: Should I include quotations after my reply?

Or, in other words, top-posting reverses the normal flow of reading.

-Joe

"ShawnD2112" wrote

Can I change that
default

Nope

or do I just page down and delete bits as appropriate?

Yep


I guess I actually prefer top posting, especially when I'm reading a
thread,
as I've already read the original post and just want to read someone's
reply, not page down through dozens of lines to see it.

Cheers,
Shawn


Get rid of all but you want to have the next reader to see, to refresh his
memory, and what you are replying to.

See how I did it? Clear to everyone. And shortened.
--
Jim in NC


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.794 / Virus Database: 538 - Release Date: 11/11/2004

On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 18:34:39 GMT, "ShawnD2112"
wrote:

Right. Got all that, guys, thanks. I guess I've always just posted the way
Outlook Express defaults, which seems to be top posting. Can I change that
default or do I just page down and delete bits as appropriate?

I guess I actually prefer top posting, especially when I'm reading a thread,
as I've already read the original post and just want to read someone's
reply, not page down through dozens of lines to see it.

Cheers,
Shawn
"Joachim Feise" wrote in message
...
ShawnD2112 wrote on 11/15/2004 22:47:

I've never understood why top posting is seen as such an evil thing.
What am I missing?

A: No.
Q: Should I include quotations after my reply?

Or, in other words, top-posting reverses the normal flow of reading.

-Joe



I wish wee could say you'll be missed, but that remains to be seen.