Avoiding HTML when posting news - Revision history

Rayner Lucas: Add credits and footer

2024-08-18T23:39:21Z

Add credits and footer

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:39, 18 August 2024
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	# From the main menu, select <code>Tools → Options → Send → Mail or News</code>		# From the main menu, select <code>Tools → Options → Send → Mail or News</code>
	# Check the <code>Plain Text</code> box, preferably for both mail and news (many mail clients can't handle HTML either, so it's best not to send it unless you're sure your recipient can read it)		# Check the <code>Plain Text</code> box, preferably for both mail and news (many mail clients can't handle HTML either, so it's best not to send it unless you're sure your recipient can read it)


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			This article is based on material authored by members of the {{news\|news.newusers.questions}} Moderation Board and nnq-workers mailing list, particularly by Kathy Cole (until 2005) and Thor Kottelin (since 2007).

			{{nnq-license}}

	[[Category:news.newusers.questions]]		[[Category:news.newusers.questions]]

Rayner Lucas: Add category

2024-07-22T01:01:39Z

Add category

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:01, 22 July 2024
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	# From the main menu, select <code>Tools → Options → Send → Mail or News</code>		# From the main menu, select <code>Tools → Options → Send → Mail or News</code>
	# Check the <code>Plain Text</code> box, preferably for both mail and news (many mail clients can't handle HTML either, so it's best not to send it unless you're sure your recipient can read it)		# Check the <code>Plain Text</code> box, preferably for both mail and news (many mail clients can't handle HTML either, so it's best not to send it unless you're sure your recipient can read it)

			[[Category:news.newusers.questions]]

Rayner Lucas: Initial import of page from NNQ FAQs

2024-07-17T22:29:19Z

Initial import of page from NNQ FAQs

New page

HTML-formatted postings are not welcome in newsgroups. While your software may interpret HTML correctly, many news-reading clients have only minimal ability to display HTML correctly. In addition, HTML postings often include your message twice: a plain text version is followed immediately by a version including HTML tags. This extra version of your message more than doubles the total length of the posting, and adds unnecessary download time for other newsgroup readers. Between other users' software's inability to interpret your posting correctly, and the longer postings costing additional money to download (much of the world uses dial-up connections, but does not have free local calling), you're likely to receive complaints if you post in HTML. These complaints can range from polite to thermonuclear.

If you are using Netscape Navigator/Communicator or Microsoft Internet News/Outlook Express to read and post news articles, you are affected. What may seem to you like a plain text message could actually be posted in HTML without you realizing it. This is because of the way those software packages are designed.

== vCards ==

If you are using Netscape Collabra 4.x or Microsoft Outlook Express and you post with vCards, you will likely also get requests to stop doing so. For those using other newsreaders, vCards just look like a long signature, which newsgroup readers commonly find annoying.

== How to turn off HTML posting ==

=== Netscape products ===

==== Netscape 3.x or earlier ====

# From the top menu bar, select <code>Options → Mail and News Preferences → Composition</code>
# Make sure that <code>Allow 8-bit</code> is selected (''not'' <code>MIME compliant</code>)
# If there is a Use HTML Composition Window selection available, be sure it is not selected

==== Netscape Communicator 4.0x (Collabra discussion groups) ====

# From the top menu bar, select <code>Edit → Preferences → Mail & Groups → Messages</code>
# Make sure the box next to <code>By default, send HTML messages</code> is ''empty''
# To disable vCards, go to <code>Mail & Groups → Identity</code> and make sure the box next to <code>Always attach Address Book Card to messages</code> is ''empty''.

==== Netscape Communicator 4.5 (Newsgroups) ====

# From the top menu bar, select <code>Edit → Preferences → Mail & Newsgroups → Formatting</code>
# In the <code>Message formatting box</code>, select <code>Use the plain text editor to compose messages</code>
# To disable vCards, go to <code>Mail & Newsgroups → Identity</code>, and make sure the box next to <code>Attach my personal card to messages (as a vCard)</code> is ''empty''.

=== Microsoft products ===

==== Microsoft Internet News ====

# Select menu <code>News</code>
# Select <code>Options → Send</code>
# Check the <code>Plain Text</code> box

==== Microsoft Outlook Express ====

# From the main menu, select <code>Tools → Options → Send → Mail or News</code>
# Check the <code>Plain Text</code> box, preferably for both mail and news (many mail clients can't handle HTML either, so it's best not to send it unless you're sure your recipient can read it)