[svlug] Email length

[Marc MERLIN]

On lun, mai 15, 2000 at 09:44:21 -0700, Robert Mayssat wrote:
> It states a MIME standard. A poorly written MUA can not be MIME complient.
> What I understand is that a well written MUA should support at least 
> 997 char/line.
 
The RFC doesn't even state SHOULD, but it doesn't really matter anyway since
MUAs that  don't cut lines  will go beyond  997 chars. In other  words, that
paragraph is too vague and really doesn't belong in an RFC

> ALso a standard that says "press enter every 76 char" is obviously not
> user friendly. You may say, you can do it by filtering your outgoing 

The last time I had to press enter  every 76 chars is about 7 years ago when
I had no idea how vi worked.
After I found out about tw=76, it took another 6 months or so before I found
out about  par(1) to reformat paragraphs  that I edited (otherwise  I had to
hand cut the lines after changing their length)

My point is that it's the MUA's job to cut the lines for you (or your editor
if your MUA gives you the option to use an external editor)

> A better way to enforce 76 char/line would be to configure the MTA 
> ( mail server ) to do the job.
 
Absolutely not.
When I  paste a config file  or code or whatever,  I may need to  have lines
longer than 80char/line. I certainly would not  like the MTA to cut them for
me.
 
> 4 lines signature ... I think I remember this convention ( elm ? ) but AFAIR

What does this have to do with elm?

> this convention was used not to clutter the true content of the email.
> It means " be nice with the readers ", but it is truly up to the sender.

Isn't any convention up to the sender?

> [\BOFH]

This tag isn't SGML compliant.

> | https//vaweb.valinux.com/~emayssat           Desk # : 408/542-8759 |

Your URL is missing the trailing  slash and causes a needless http redirect,
and it  also is  not of any use  to anyone  outside VA  since it  requires a
password.
You can configure a  good MUA to change your signature  depending on who the
receipients are.

Marc
-- 
La culture, c'est comme la confiture...