[FFmpeg-user] top posting issue

[Steve Boyer]

On Thu, Feb 4, 2016 at 3:46 AM, Roman <romeo.r at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,

Hi!

> I've seen many times people asking/forcing not to top-post to the list...
> So here I've got a question.. Why ? Most of programs, including gmail app
> and gmail web come with top posting by default and this is the way all
> people are used to read mail. Why the hell one should scroll down to see
> the last post if it is very ok to see the last post on the top of incming
> e-mail.
> Where such attitude/culture comes from? Anyone to explain?

I had the same thought when I originally saw all of the requests of
not top-posting. The definitive reason to not top-post is to realize
that all of these e-mails are public for all posterity on the
FFmpeg-user archive. Put yourself in the shoes of someone who is
trying to figure something out and goes to google the problem and
eventually lands in the archives.

Ex.) http://ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-user/2015-October/028744.html
vs http://ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-user/2015-October/028745.html

Both are part of the same e-mail thread - Alex top-posted, so I read
what he said, then say "i missed something" and go down to Moritz's
e-mail read the entirety as it is preserved (not to mention if there
are many more replies embedded), then back to Alex's to fully
understand. Compare that to Moritz's reply in which he responded
in-line, with specific parts quoted, and excess deleted.

Based on that, I've come around to understanding that responding
in-line on a mailing list that gets archived is easier to read in the
future.

> Best regards,

Hope this hornet's nest hasn't scared you away.

> Roman.

Steve