Thunderbird bug or feature?

[Konstantin Svist]

Frank Murphy wrote:
> On 18/06/09 17:30, Konstantin Svist wrote:
>> I received an email with this block of text (when viewing source)
>> **snip**
>>
>> --=20
>> **snip**
>>
>> It displays fine when reading the message. the text after "--" is a
>> signature, and it's displayed in gray (which is correct).
>
> With you to here.
>
> But when I hit
>> Reply, the quoted text only goes up to the "--"
>
> Do you mean the original msg goes down as far as the sig?
>
> and doesn't quote
>> anything below.
>
>
> That's a setting in preferences (TB3).
>
>
> In particular, the earlier mail exchange is below the
>> signature, and didn't get quoted.
>>
>
> Possibly due to someone incorrectly setting up their mua to top post.
> If I'm reading this correctly.
>
>
>> Is this a bug or a feature?
>> I didn't really pay attention to it before, but it may have always
>> worked this way...
>>
> As this is a reply, my personal sig. should not show up.
>
> Frank
>



The original messages were below the sig. Yes, it was top-posted, but
that's actually the predominant practice in the business communications.
I have my TB (2, not 3 yet) set to use bottom post for mailing lists and
top post for business emails.

It makes sense, when you think about it. In mailing lists, it's a
1-to-many message -- some readers (users) may not have read the original
emails. So reading question at the top and reply at the bottom makes sense.

In 1-to-1 emails, though, this quickly becomes annoying since emails go
back and forward a lot and you'd need to scroll down more and more to
read each successive messages. It makes sense to leave the original
thread at the bottom in case CCed readers join in in the middle and for
general reference/sanity checks (which email is this one a reply to?).


Thanks for the clarification!