Phil,

Here's my dilemma - I also am a mobile user, but I don't use the
digest.  While I agree that more than one post included in a response
may be excessive, it is not uncommon that if the previous post is
omitted or edited, it becomes unclear of what the response is
addressing.  On another subscription that I have where I often just
want to skim the contents, I also use the digest format because I
usually end up dumping the whole message anyway.

Since this discussion began several years ago, I've been trying to
figure out what in the world is the real problem in leaving the
original message in tact.  Excessive editing to me can significantly
take away from the clarity and meaning of a response.  Your point is
well taken however, and I now think I better understand the problem.
I would however, respectively submit that the use of the digest format
may in fact be the real problem here.

I also use gmail, and as I said, I too am a mobile user.  But I go to
the gmail site and quickly delete all the messages in which I clearly
have no interest.  I could not do this very easily using the digest.
Where I do use the digest, it is on lists that I often only read in
detail if the email traffic is light.

Phil, there always seems to be yet another variable that was not
originally mentioned, but I would submit that based on what you've
said, perhaps individual messages could work better for you.

Even if a responder trims or deletes my original message when
responding to my message, I often have to go dig up my post to see
what I may have said that stimulated what now seems like a strange or
confusing response.

So in the end I believe that the inclusion of the original message
provides clarity that in my mind outweighs the the apparent burden
that some may experience for what ever other reasons.

Of course I'm only talking about the message itself, not all the tag
lines added to help one increase one's credit rating.

Phil
West Sacramento, CA

On Fri, Mar 13, 2009 at 5:13 AM, Philip Odom philodom@gmail.com wrote:

Hi Phil,

The problem here is that many listees get their email via slow cell phone or sat phone links
(especially during the summer cruising season), or on small screen mobile devices like a
Blackberry. In that case, repeating the entire previous post not only makes it difficult to read
as Phil Odom had complained about, but it also costs the cell phone and sat phone listees real
money to download yet another copy of a message that they have already read.

For those reading the list as single e-mails on a PC from home, this is not an issue. For those
who get the digest, or use cell phone, sat phone or mobile devices, this can be a major problem,
so that is why the list rules require that reply posts be snipped to remove most (if not all) of
the material from the previous post, and Phil Odom's request was right on target.

In the case of your last post, while it was a total of 359 words long, by saving only the 52
pertinent words above, while snipping off the remainder of the non-pertinent material, I easily
reduced the size of the repeated material by 85%, while still capturing the essence of the
previous post.

You can find the full set of the T&T list rules, including the rule for snipping replies, at
http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com/forums/listrules.html

Regards,
Kevin