Posted by Dr J R Stockton on 05/22/07 19:37

In comp.infosystems.www.authoring.html message <cL2dnSJ58pmQ3c_bnZ2dnUVZ
_revnZ2d@iswest.net>, Mon, 21 May 2007 17:57:47, David E. Ross
<nobody@nowhere.not> posted:
>Dr J R Stockton wrote:
>> In comp.infosystems.www.authoring.html message <aqOdnTLoGq_qac3bnZ2dnUVZ
>> _o3inZ2d@comcast.com>, Sun, 20 May 2007 21:23:02, Ed Mullen
>> <ed@edmullen.net> posted:
>>> http://mozilla.edmullen.net/moz_sigtag.html
>>
>> To be foolproof, it should say that "dash dash space" must be on a line
>> on its own.
>>
>> ISTM that "separator" is better than "delimiter" as it makes it clearer
>> that the signature starts after it rather than with it.
>>
>> Established Usenet convention is for at most 4 lines of sig, not 6; see
>> Wikipedia.
>>
>
>Wikipedia is not an authoritative source for standards and conventions.

No; but it is generally indicative, and has useful links.

>"Established Usenet convention" is found in the Internet Society RFC
>database. RFC 3676 is where the "-- " separator is described (section
>4.3). However, the RFC does NOT indicate anything about the number of
>lines in a signature; and I can't find any other RFC addressing this
>issue.

Well, demanding an actual RFC is a little pedantic, under the
circumstances. You should have looked at Son-of-RFD1036, indicated in
my signature. Or in many other places, including Timo Salmi's site.
And in RFC1855/FYI28.

Wiki "signature block" calls it the "McQuary Limit".

Four lines is a good general recommendation. Six lines is not.

--
(c) John Stockton, Surrey, UK. ?@merlyn.demon.co.uk Turnpike v6.05 MIME.
Web <URL:http://www.merlyn.demon.co.uk/> - FAQish topics, acronyms, & links.
Proper <= 4-line sig. separator as above, a line exactly "-- " (SonOfRFC1036)
Do not Mail News to me. Before a reply, quote with ">" or "> " (SonOfRFC1036)

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