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The Problem
By default, Outlook does not indent message replies properly making it very
difficult to maintain a discussion over a period of time. It also encourages
top-posting which is where a reply is above the text being replied
to. This is different from virtually every other email client and also
completely ignores 30 years of email usage during which the most
effective ways of working have emerged as de facto standards
(part of what is affectionately known as
Netiquette which was
formalised in RFC-1855).
It can be summarised very quickly in 4 lines:
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing in email?
|
For example, a typical reply from someone using Outlook to the following
email:
How are you today?
Are you going out tonight? What pub shall we meet
at? |
Would be along the lines of:
I'm well. Yes, how about the Carlton?
--- Original Message ---
From: sender <sender@domain.com>
Sent: 13 June 2007 08:00
To: recipient <me@there.com>
Subject: Hello
How are you today?
Are you going out tonight? What pub shall we meet at? |
or even:
--- Original Message ---
From: sender <sender@domain.com>
Sent: 13 June 2007 08:00
To: recipient <me@there.com>
Subject: Hello
How are you today?
Well.
Are you going out tonight? What pub shall we meet at?
Yes, how about the Carlton? |
This is very difficult to follow especially when the mails grow in length,
have been replied to a few times or you have dealt with enough other emails
to forget exactly what was being discussed. It's very easy for
misunderstandings to occur. This can be especially concerning when there are
multiple subjects being discussed, as it is very easy for answers to be
assumed to be responses to the wrong question or missed entirely (the
example above isn't really long enough to do justice to the problem).
This should look like:
> How are you today?
Well, thanks.
> Are you going out tonight?
Yes, but not until later
> What pub shall we meet at?
The Carlton? |
Compare the message after another round of replies:
Late night? 8pm.
--- Original Message ---
From: sender <sender@domain.com>
Sent: 13 June 2007 09:00
To: recipient <me@there.com>
Subject: Hello
I'm feeling tired. What time?
--- Original Message ---
From: recipient <me@there.com>
Sent: 13 June 2007 08:30
To: sender <sender@domain.com>
Subject: Hello
I'm well, how about you? Yes, how about the Carlton?
--- Original Message ---
From: sender <sender@domain.com>
Sent: 13 June 2007 08:00
To: recipient <me@there.com>
Subject: Hello
How are you today?
Are you going out tonight? What pub shall we meet at? |
Or just as bad:
How are you today?
I'm well, how about you?
I'm feeling tired.
Late night?
Are you going out tonight? What pub shall we meet at?
Yes, how about the Carlton
What time?
8pm |
This is much clearer:
> > > How are you today
> >
> > I'm well, how about you?
>
> I'm feeling tired.
Late night?
> > > Are you going out tonight? What pub shall we meet at?
> >
> > Yes, how about the Carlton
>
> What time?
8pm |
This provides a clear structure, allows you see instantly what is the
original and what is the reply and more importantly, is the way that email
has always been used since its invention over 30 years ago. Only Outlook has
such a poor default setting; unfortunately this has become prevalent. Here's how to fix it...
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