Re: mbox quoting (was: Re: Gnus, movemail, POP3, trailing empty lines)

[Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@ifi.uio.no>]

Per Abrahamsen <abraham@dina.kvl.dk> writes:

> (1) When software using the old algorithm is used on mboxes created by
> the new algorithm, no additional damage is done.

Original mail (indented to avoid mailers choking):

    She said:

    >From the beginning of time
    >man has yearned to destroy the sun.

People who use old software on new mboxes will see things like:

    She said:

    >>From the beginning of time
    >man has yearned to destroy the sun.

I think this may be called "additional damage".

> (2) When software using the new algorithm is used on mboxes created by
> the old algorithm, the result is usually, but not always, better or
> equal to what software using the old algorithm would produce.

It is usually better, but people using new software on old mboxes
would then see:

    She said:

    From the beginning of time
    >man has yearned to destroy the sun.

I'm not arguing that the new format is worse than the old -- it
isn't.  It's much better.  But we have to keep in mind that it is a
*new* format, and using it will introduce new problems.  It isn't
simply an improvement of the old format; it's a new, incompatible
format. 

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
  larsi@ifi.uio.no * Lars Ingebrigtsen