[Openib-windows] Plain text and HTML mail format

[Sean Hefty]

In the last week or so, someone has sent a mail saying that there is some
problem with "html mails" and the conclusion was that we should start using
"plain text".

HTML is a pain to quote.  (See this mail for an example.)  When you're receiving
a hundred e-mails a day, the ability to read threads is critical.  Top posting
does not work unless mail arrives in order to everyone, and is read in order.
Most public mailing lists that I'm aware of use plain text only.



I believe that if we want to use a different format than html, this should be
fine, but the new format should support at least the following capabilities;  

1) Enable different fonts.
2) Enable different colors.
3) Enable inserting of tables.
4) Enable inserting of graphs.
5) Enable "auto numbering"
6) Allow more languages. I'm not saying that the format should support any
language in the world, but the minimum is to support any language that at least
1,000,000,000 people speak and write (for example Chinese and Arabic). Of course
other people might suggest other bars here. 
7) Allow writing in both directions (did I mention Arabic ?).

If you can quote text properly, there's no need for different fonts or colors.
Table and graphs should not be inserted directly into emails - you should use
attachments for those.  The de facto language for almost all public mail lists
is English.  If you want your mail read by the largest audience, that's what you
should use.

Why can't the OpenIB windows mailing lists use the same guidelines as the linux
mailing list?  It's simple and works.

- Sean