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Re: NFC: listbot or egroups...

robertrice at juno_com wrote:
> 
> We are considering i repeat considering moving off of actwin and moving
> to a less clunky system like listbot or egroups . Any comments as we move
> forward ?

Yes.

If by less clunky, you mean that they support attachments, or MIME and HTML,
etc. then I am strongly opposed. Those latter jam and render messages
incomprehensible on many mail readers, and could be lost entirely if they go
through the wrong Unix node, as that operating system usually doesn't
recognize MAC/PC-specific codes like MIME.

AOL apparently flatly bans HTML mail, but refuses to allow newer users to
post in plain text, I am told (V6). Their only recourse is to sign up with
Earthlink or Juno or some such for list participation, if they can't figure
how to turn off MIME OLE.

My reader can see and use both HTML and MIME encodings, but I want nothing
to do with a *mail list* that might send me HTML directly. It is just too
prone to carry self-executing worms and viruses. [I have been intending to
inquire/complain about this on this list, BTW. I see way too many MIME
messages for comfort.]

I refuse to use Outlook Express for similar security reasons, as it leaves
one's computer wide open to hacker examination and mischief, particularly
when you are an internet node, on nearly all the time, like I am. Those who
do use Outlook, and fail to disable MIME, send a non-standard version that
renders fonts and colors that are essentially useless on any Netscape
messenger editor (or any other obeying the standards). [Childish jamming by
Microsoft children, out of control, IMHO]

I've been at this a long, long time kiddies. I've run many mail lists and,
before they were possible, some of the country's most active bulletin
boards. A modicum of security is wise, if annoying, when a *lot* of
computers are impacted. Lists that use "plain text" ASCII encoding save huge
gobs of net bandwidth, while providing virtually total security. It's the
information that counts, and if we want a fancy-looking article, or
pictures, it is trivial to provide an ASCII URL, pointing to a web page,
these days.

If changing to one of the other services will permit absolute blocking of
non-ASCII postings, I'm all for it. I'm pretty sure actwin provides that
capability, now. Have you checked?

Wright

-- 
Wright Huntley, Fremont CA, USA, 510 494-8679  huntleyone at home dot com

        "No wonder Al Gore thinks he is president. This is a 
        most confusing time.  The leading rap singer is white, 
        the world's best golfer is black, and Bill Clinton 
        just got back from Vietnam." - Paul Harvey 

              *** http://www.libertarian.org/ ***
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