Top posting

[Jerry McAllister]

> 
> 
> >When you are posting to a list, there is a time lag and a distance that
> >needs to be overcome.   
> >...
> 
> I'm more of a lurker on the questions list, although I chime in when I see 
> something I can help with.  I've been reading this through and I don't 
> think anybody has pointed out one important topic so far, although touched 
> upon by your point abut the time lag.  It is that these messages get 
> archived!  
> ... 
> So, when you have a problem, and you search the web for FreeBSD + your 
> particular error message, you are very likely to come across a mailing list 
> message. (I know I do anyway.)   This could very have been written 
> yesterday, or six years ago, and you have likely have no idea of context.
> 
> Having the entire subject available in that first message you find - 
> original problem, suggested solution, results of that solution, follow-ups, 
> etc - means you have there an instant resource that is very valuable.
> 
> Having to trawl through a poorly threaded web-based archive to try and find 
> out if it was the same problem you had when your search only gets to to the 
> solution, (when the posters trim too much) or through masses of 
> intermediate junk (when a topic gets big like this, and it's ALL quoted) is 
> pretty hard work.
> 
> Certainly, interleaved or (at worst) bottom posted text makes life a great 
> deal easier when coming across a post in isolation like this.  You can read 
> through and you get the questions and answers, in context, in time-line order.

Good point.

////jerry

> 
> Rob.
> 
> 
> 
>