"Stuart Brooks" wrote in message
...

Gets very confusing when the original message has had both top and bottom
posted replies!

All the more reason to agree one method or style then isn't it?

I think the bottom posting argument would be fine if you could guarantee
that the whole thread was always contained within the latest message.
Invariably this is not the case, so one ends up sequentially reading each
post. In this case, it is actually easier to read top posts, as you don't
need to scroll down within every message in the thread.

Ah but with top posts, how do you know what the reply is referring to? Far
better that everyone sticks to one way, most seem to favour "quote then
reply" as then you can read it sequentially and it makes sense.

Perhaps all newsreaders should offer the option of how to treat replies,
top-post, or bottom-post. There is already an option not to include the
original message in the reply, perhaps it would be better if this was the
default.

But they don't, good idea though it is. So you have to deal with it by
specifying it right at the start. However, most seems to use OE, which with
typical MS practise, gives no option on this, so every user, unless making a
conscious effort, will default to top posting.

To add a positive angle to the discussion, what other newsreaders do people
use? FreeAgent and OE are most common but what other programs do people
recommend?
--
Rob Overfield
http://www.astrosport02.karoo.net

"Seasons don't fear the reaper, Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain.."