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[at-l] Odd stuff in posts ...
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Kahley,
You are close, but at the risk of further confusing the issue, there is more
to it.
Most email is sent as ASCII text, which means that you receive a message
that has only one font, one color and no italics, underlining, bold face, or
color.
Almost all mail programs also read a text format known as RTF or Revisable
Text Format (if the initial letters are bold face, you just got an example).
This is still a simple text file with a limited amount of formatting which
allows bold face, italics, underlining, color, and even the inclusion of
pictures in most programs. This file must be transmitted as MIME as a
minimum or HTML.
Full HTML includes everything that RTF did plus some additional formatting
specific to the HTML markup language, which is really nothing more than an
advanced version of RTF which adds capabilities such as background images
and scripting.
The reason that plain text is predominant is a matter of bandwidth or how
much transmit time is taken up by the message. A simple plain text file is
the most compact, quickest file to transmit. An RTF file is larger and the
MIME headers and extensions further increase the size and therefore the time
to transmit. HTML is larger than anything except dedicated word processor
documents and therefore takes the most time to send.
Owners of listserves have to deal with bandwidth issues everyday. For
instance if you send a text message that occupies 10 Kb of space then it
took up 10 KB coming in to the server and then must be forwarded to the
members of the list, if there are 1000 members then it takes up 10,000 Kb or
1 MB going back out. An average day on HTML sees about 60 messages so that
is (10,000 KB + 10 KB) * 60 KB = 60.06 MB of data. While 10 KB is a fairly
large text message it represents the worst case for text.
Now if you send a fairly simple HTML message (most mail packages don't offer
the intermediate RTF as a send option, preferring to jump straight to HTML)
with a limited amount of graphics and formatting, the size of the HTML file
grows to over 20 KB, so know the bandwidth requirement doubles to at least
120 MB. Since the ability to send HTML usually results in sending more
graphics rather than less, the true bandwidth typically quadruples rather
than simply doubling.
If you are running this listserv off of anything less than a T1 phone line,
it will spend ALL DAY sending messages. Hence, most operators frown on
anything more than plain text.
Lesson over, I have to go back to work now <G>....
Lee I Joe
> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-l-admin@mailman.backcountry.net
> [mailto:at-l-admin@mailman.backcountry.net]On Behalf Of kahley7
> Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 10:44 AM
> To: David Hicks; SaraSW@aol.com; at-l@backcountry.net
> Subject: [at-l] Odd stuff in posts ...
>
>
> This may be a little oddity with the new listserve .
> Maybe until/if it can be overcome, we should all check our
> settings and make
> sure we are working in PLAIN. Sometimes, if I get a message
> that comes
> in FANCY, and I hit reply, my mail program will ask if I want
> to send it in
> Plain, HTML (fancy)
> or both. I pick plain. BTW...the both setting is
> responsible for the post
> sometimes coming in
> in plain text on top and html on the bottom as Ginny spoke of
> last week.
> BEWARE..you just listened to computer advice from a computer idiot.
>
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<P><FONT size=3D2>Kahley,<BR><BR>You are close, but at the risk of =
further=20
confusing the issue, there is more to it.<BR><BR>Most email is sent as =
ASCII=20
text, which means that you receive a message that has only one font, one =
color=20
and no italics, underlining, bold face, or color.<BR><BR>Almost all mail =
programs also read a text format known as RTF or=20
<STRONG>R</STRONG>evisable <STRONG>T</STRONG>ext =
<STRONG>F</STRONG>ormat=20
(if the initial letters are bold face, you just got an example). This is =
still a=20
simple text file with a limited amount of formatting which allows bold =
face,=20
italics, underlining, color, and even the inclusion of pictures in most=20
programs. This file must be transmitted as MIME as a minimum or =
HTML.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>Full HTML includes everything that RTF did plus some =
additional=20
formatting specific to the HTML markup language, which is really nothing =
more=20
than an advanced version of RTF which adds capabilities such as =
background=20
images and scripting.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>The reason that plain text is predominant is a matter =
of=20
bandwidth or how much transmit time is taken up by the message. =
A simple=20
plain text file is the most compact, quickest file to transmit. An RTF =
file is=20
larger and the MIME headers and extensions further increase the =
size and=20
therefore the time to transmit. HTML is larger than anything except =
dedicated=20
word processor documents and therefore takes the most time to =
send.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>Owners of listserves have to deal with bandwidth =
issues=20
everyday. For instance if you send a text message that occupies =
10 Kb of=20
space then it took up 10 KB coming in to the server and then must=20
be forwarded to the members of the list, if there are 1000 members =
then it=20
takes up 10,000 Kb or 1 MB going back out. An average day on HTML sees=20
about 60 messages so that is (10,000 KB + 10 KB) * 60 KB =3D =
60.06 MB of=20
data. While 10 KB is a fairly large text message it represents the worst =
case=20
for text.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>Now if you send a fairly simple HTML message (most =
mail packages=20
don't offer the intermediate RTF as a send option, preferring to jump =
straight=20
to HTML) with a limited amount of graphics and formatting, the size of =
the HTML=20
file grows to over 20 KB, so know the bandwidth requirement doubles to =
at least=20
120 MB. Since the ability to send HTML usually results in sending more =
graphics=20
rather than less, the true bandwidth typically quadruples rather than =
simply=20
doubling.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>If you are running this listserv off of anything less =
than a T1=20
phone line, it will spend ALL DAY sending messages. Hence, most =
operators frown=20
on anything more than plain text.</FONT></P>
<P> </P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>Lesson over, I have to go back to work now=20
<G>....</FONT></P>
<P> </P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>Lee I Joe</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>> -----Original Message-----<BR>> From:=20
at-l-admin@mailman.backcountry.net<BR>> [<A=20
href=3D"mailto:at-l-admin@mailman.backcountry.net";>mailto:at-l-admin@mail=
man.backcountry.net</A>]On=20
Behalf Of kahley7<BR>> Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 10:44 =
AM<BR>> To:=20
David Hicks; SaraSW@aol.com; at-l@backcountry.net<BR>> Subject: =
[at-l] Odd=20
stuff in posts ...<BR>><BR>><BR>> This may be a little oddity =
with the=20
new listserve .<BR>> Maybe until/if it can be overcome, we should all =
check=20
our<BR>> settings and make<BR>> sure we are working in =
PLAIN. =20
Sometimes, if I get a message<BR>> that comes<BR>> in FANCY, and I =
hit=20
reply, my mail program will ask if I want<BR>> to send it in<BR>> =
Plain,=20
HTML (fancy)<BR>> or both. I pick plain. BTW...the both =
setting=20
is<BR>> responsible for the post<BR>> sometimes coming in<BR>> =
in plain=20
text on top and html on the bottom as Ginny spoke of<BR>> last =
week.<BR>>=20
BEWARE..you just listened to computer advice from a computer=20
idiot.<BR>><BR></FONT></P></BODY></HTML>
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