Posted by Mark Parnell on 01/24/06 01:11

Deciding to do something for the good of humanity,
<marksisson@gmail.com> declared in alt.html:

> What was the purpose of this preface? It contained no substance except
> to describe me as someone that spouts off. What did I write in my post
> that deserved that?

It's just the attribution line that my newsreader inserts when I reply.
Yes I have customised it, but it wasn't intended to offend, and is not
specific to replies to your posts. Have a look at any of my other posts
from the last month or so, and you will see the same thing.

Anyway, I have replaced "spouted" with "declared". Better?

> You instructed me to read your ".sig" (which I guess is
> hip newgroup lingo)

Short for signature. The bit after the "-- " at the bottom of my post,
as you worked out.

> that told me this was my last warning.

It's a generic warning to anyone using Google Groups. It's my last-ditch
effort before implementing http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html

> that
> was an amazing discourse about the all important use of greater signs
> in replies.

It seems you missed the point of the page in question. It is simply
instructions on how to quote the relevant parts of the post you are
replying to in GG. Most newsreaders - and GG - generally use greater
than signs to indicate quoted text, though there are various other
characters that are also commonly accepted.

> Greater than signs? Are you kidding me? Are you so
> absorbed into your newsgroup life that this is your crusade?

Just trying to educate GG users on how to use GG properly.

> So Mark, did I just get this all wrong? Are you really just a great
> guy

I do my best. :-)

> trying to make the Internet a better place?

You see, there is the problem. This is Usenet, not the Internet.
Unfortunately GG blurs that distinction. But the fact that you are using
a web-based interface to access it doesn't change the fact that this is
a Usenet newsgroup, and Usenet has its own set of accepted rules and
conventions. Quoting the relevant parts of the message you are replying
to is one of them.

--
Mark Parnell
=====================================================
Att. Google Groups users - this is your last warning:
http://www.safalra.com/special/googlegroupsreply/

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