Re: [boost] What's wrong with top-posting?

Subject: Re: [boost] What's wrong with top-posting?
From: Stewart, Robert (Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-01-26 13:10:46

Robert Ramey wrote:
>
> I thought I was familiar with the guidelines and never
> remembered this.

It has been mentioned on the list repeatedly over the years.

> I top-post all the time.   It seems much more natural to me when
> it's not convenient to intersperse comments into the previous
> message. Why I like top posting:
>
> a)  It means that I don't have to scroll to the bottom of a message
> which is sometimes pretty long.

If the quoted message is pretty long, then you've violated the "don't overquote" part of the policy.

> b) To me it is more natural to follow the style
> of other communications (artilcle, books, etc) which make
> their point in the main text and refer to footnotes, bibliographies,
> etc at the end of the main text.

That's nice, but it isn't the accepted style and there are at least as many that like to know what you're responding to when they read your post.

> The link says no top-posting - but there is no rational for
> this.  What is it and why is it bad?

The Discussion Policy page includes a link to the following page which does provide rationale: http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html.

_____
Rob Stewart                           robert.stewart_at_[hidden]
Software Engineer, Core Software      using std::disclaimer;
Susquehanna International Group, LLP  http://www.sig.com

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