[ale] CSS And HTML mail

[Michael B. Trausch]

On Thu, 2007-06-28 at 10:53 -0400, James Taylor wrote:

> HTML-only emails are the kiss of death for any vendor that wants to
> deal with me.
> I'm sure I keep a lot of Fortune 500 companies up late worrying about
> this... 


It surprises me that any mailer supports the sending of HTML-only mail.
Indeed, Outlook Express, Outlook, and some server software known as Jive
all strip the text/plain part out of messages by default for some odd
reason.

Personally, though, the features that are available with HTML mail (when
used correctly) can provide a much better reading experience than
plain-text e-mail.  Of course, non-technical computers users think that
HTML mail is supposed to be used to make thing big, bold, neon, and
PINK, which is utterly annoying.  But, there is no harm in HTML mail as
long as the recipient's machine doesn't permit scripting in mail.  If
mailers had half the support for XHTML 1.0 that Internet Explorer does,
it'd be that much better, even.  I'd be all for XML mail if that meant
that I could send an XHTML 1.0+MathML message body to someone.  That
would be absolutely awesome... but for some reason, mailer technology
has always been behind the curve, not worried about message size or
presentation/content separation for HTML messages.

But, HTML is kind of like Unicode---it is here, and it isn't going
anywhere.  And just like Unicode, used properly it can enhance
accessibility and readability and get the job done far better.  But,
most non-technical users have no clue what it takes to make a readable
message.  They just want it to look pretty.

    --- Mike

--
Michael B. Trausch
           michael.trausch at gmail.com
Phone: (404) 592-5746
                          Jabber IM:
           michael.trausch at gmail.com
Demand Freedom!  Use open and free protocols, standards, and software!
Support free speech---it is the most valuable freedom we have!
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part