HTML vs. Plain Text (Michael Conger)

 
Dec 13, 1999

On the subject of HTML formatted email ...

I believe it is admirable that we (programmers, geeks, and the like) are willing to extend the courtesy of sending e-mails and posting to listservs/newsgroups in plain text messages. Since we are all in the same shoes ... dealing with hundreds of messages every day ... it is easy for us to see how slimming down and simplifying these messages can save us all time, bandwidth, and headache. By all means ... let's continue doing it.

On the other hand ...

HTML-formatted e-mail becomes more and more the norm every day. It's pretty, it's not expensive (not too huge files and most clients support it), and it's becoming easier and easier to do all the time. This combination of features is WAY too attractive for the non-technical business user to pass up. Sure, it's unnecessary, but have you ever seen some of the PowerPoint presentations these guys put together? Do any of us really believe that the huge glut of clipart and flashing 3D test we see in those slides won't spill over into their e-mail? We computer dudes can proclaim the gospel of plain text all we want, but I don't think, even for a second, that we will be able to fight the much larger and (sorry to say this, but it's the truth) more influential business community who is bent on turning everything they touch into a big, fat, animated, flashing, rotating, pile of PowerPoint.

Conclusion...

HTML e-mail is here to stay (at least until the next toy comes along). We can do our part to keep plain text alive for use between people who understand and appreciate its value, but we can't just ignore its HTML cousin or just say "it sucks" and refuse to deal with it. HTML email IS a useful tool ... whether we geeks want to admit it or not. It's here, it's not going away, let's swallow this bitter pill. Instead of digging in our heels, let's try to educate our users how to use e-mail (plain text AND HTML) in the most effective, appropriate, and safe way possible.

Michael Conger
Conger.15@osu.edu
CF_Community list at http://www.houseoffusion.com

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