Colored Backgrounds

[John Thompson]

On Sat, 11 Dec 1999 22:25:42, David Gaskill wrote:

>>> Some  of the people with whom I do business use HTML format in their e-mails -
>>> are you suggesting that to I should refuse to do business with them on principle?

>>That's a tough one, since the customer is always right.  No
>>need to compound the sin by using html email yourself,
>>though.

>Just seems to me that it is courteous and probably good for 
>business to reply using HTML if that's what he has used. 

Why?  If your client wrote to you on a used, greasy napkin would you feel
similarly compelled to reply on a used, greasy napkin?   Ascii text
conveys verbal information efficiently.  Presumably that is the goal of
your written communication. An animated GIF banner, for example, only
distracts from the communication.  And your choices of background coloror
pattern and font may not display properly on the recipient's machine,
rendering your verbal message unreadable.

>>But why not use the bandwidth for something that truly needs
>>it rather than superfluous fluff like html email?  

>What would you suggest that something might be? One man's 
>superfluous fluff is another's vital communication. Value judgments 
>concerning what  which is transmitted over the Internet can't 
>really lead anywhere. No doubt pornography consumes vastly 
>more bandwidth than all the HTML e-mail flowing over the Internet ... 

Value judgements aside, at least binary and graphic content requires the
higher bandwidth it utilizes.  Written text does not.

>The percentage of the available 
>bandwidth used for HTML e-mail will fall from tiny to microscopic. 

Every little bit helps.


John (john.thompson@attglobal.net)