FLASH: [OT] MIME content on this list

[Dave Trautman]

I don't want to sound cranky here, but for those of us who only receive 

the List Digest version there is a problem with browser based mailers 

adding unnecessary content to submissions to the listserv.  I'm referring 

to the MIME formatted text which restates the message in HTML.  Not only 

is it bigger than the text only message but it bloats the Digest 

processor.  The Digest is set to a maximum content size before it is 

forwarded.  I've asked to have the size enlarged but apparently our List 

operator can't do it.  What happens when a number of people post with 

MIME text attached is where only a few Digest items can take up the 

entire capacity thereby making the Digest a five times daily distribution 

instead of the one-every-day-or-so which other Digest prcoessors seem to 

manage.


flasher-digest V1 #335:

>

<macmikeatl [dot] mindspring [dot] com>

is an example of what I have a problem with.


His recent posting included MIME formatted text which enlarged the 

posting to three times the original message length.  (an example is added 

to the tail of this list by way of illustration)


Can we either set the Digest size large to take in this additional bloat 

or can be ask politely for people to set their mailers not to include 

these attachments?  This is not the same as people who include the entire 

message they are replying to or commenting on.  This is a technology 

thing.


I only subcribe to the "digested version" in order to minimize the hassle 

my job creates.  Poor me.  I subscribe to about ten or twelve software 

and hardware lists.  I also have a few personal interest lists.  Where 

possible I receive the digested versions so I can highlight content 

meaningful to me.  It also helps with regard to the off topic stuff which 

has been discussed recently.


Instead of a single digest per day I can get as many as five or six a 

day.  Remember back when someone had an auto responder filling up the 

bandwidth?  Well I was getting lots of digest posts all filled with 

repeating loops.


Not only is the MIME content a replay of the message but it includes all 

the HTML formatting surrounding the text which sometimes doubles the 

amount of text.  Add to this the "quoting" of the entire previous message 

and we get lots of wasted capacity.


As I don't use an HTML mailer I don't just get the message again as 

Hypertext I get all the HTML code too.  Poor me again.


Can I ask the group to set their mailers not to include this MIME 

formatted stuff, or not to have it "attached" somehow to the original 

messages?  Is it too much I am asking?  Have others this same complaint?


Perhaps I'm asking to put the genie back in the bottle, but I find this 

waste of space fairly typical and as someone who is trying to deliver 

educational experiences to people through slow modems I am particularly 

sensitive about these things.  One of the reasons I'm the FLASH guy is to 

take advantage of its economical use of bandwidth for graphical content.  

It seems ironic the list is not so economical in this regard as well.


I know I'm being long-winded.  I don't post to the list unless provoked.  

I get a lot from this group and I tolerate off topics as much as the next 

guy, but I appeal to the list members to see if it couldn't help a little 

more not to include all that HTML when the original message text does 

just fine.  If I knew exactly what contributes to this I'd make a more 

specific recommendation.  Perhaps someone else can pick this up and 

suggest how to "turn it off" for people.


I started out writing just to <macmike...> and then I thought perhaps 

others may be having the same concerns.  Feel free to write to me off the 

list if you have a problem with my suggestion.  And, finally, yes I have 

sent a copy of my concern to the List owner.


Dave Trautman

Media Specialist and Web Stylist

Academic Technologies for Learning

University of Alberta

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    < www.atl.ualberta.ca/ >


---------------- EXAMPLE PASTED IN -------------------------


Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 09:22:30 -0400

From: "Mike Greenberg" <

macmikeatl [dot] mindspring [dot] com

>

Subject: FLASH: Re: <OT> MetaStream


> THIS MESSAGE IS IN MIME FORMAT. Since your mail reader does not understand

this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.


- --MS_Mac_OE_2986449751_196416_MIME_Part

Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit


I have a few problems with Metastream:


1- You think that the Shockwave plug-in is a tough sell, imagine 

Metastream

2- MetaCreations is in deep financial trouble they just laid off 75 people

last month and I have to really wonder about their future. Will they be

around?  Maybe.


I hate to say this but they are company that has done all the wrong 

things.

They have really ticked off Infini-D and Painter users. 


I think the Metastream plug-in is a cool idea,but I don't see a future in

it. Maybe they can take some lessons from Macromedia. It is possible to

acquire a product or company and have it turn out well. I think the

acquistion of FutureWave is a prime example because if it weren't for 

that I

have to wonder if this list would exist and my guess would probably be no.


My 2 cents,

Michael


Michael Greenberg

Macromedia Evangelism

Multimedia/Shockwave Developer (Director and Flash)

Project Manager of Mercavia Web Site

http://www.enquest.com

http://www.mercavia.com


email:

macmikeatl [dot] mindspring [dot] com

mgreenbergenquest [dot] com

- ----------

>

From: Dean Johnson <drjohnnetropolis [dot] net>

>

To: flashershocker [dot] com

>Subject: FLASH: Re: <OT> MetaStream

>Date: Thu, Aug 20, 1998, 1:46 AM

>


>

>

>Aaron Cushing wrote:

>

>> Anybody seen or used this stuff? Supposedly, it does for 3d what Flash

does

>> for vector art.

>> Looks pretty cool.

>> http://www.metastream.com

>> The only problem is, there's no Mac version of the plugin yet :-(

>>

>> Aaron

>

>Hi Aaron

>

>I have been playing around with the Metastream plugin on a site I'm doing

for a

>demo, don't have the account yet. I'm using some Flash 2 also. It started

as my

>first attempt at any really useful Web stuff so it's very crude. But the

>Metastream plugin gives you a nice way of displaying 3D and it does produce

>fairly small files. I modeled a ring in RayDream Studio 5 and exported a

.mts

>file. It's displayed in a popup window when the user selects different

options

>for the ring. So far I am not real pleased with the results but I'm

learning. I

>understand the Mac version is on it's way.

>

>Let me know if I can be of any help . . .

>Dean

>

>

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- --MS_Mac_OE_2986449751_196416_MIME_Part

Content-type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"

Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable


<HTML>

<HEAD>

<TITLE>Re: <OT> MetaStream</TITLE>

</HEAD>

<BODY BGCOLOR=3D"#FFFFFF">

I have a few problems with Metastream:<BR>

<BR>

1- You think that the Shockwave plug-in is a tough sell, imagine 

Metastream=

<BR>

2- MetaCreations is in deep financial trouble they just laid off 75 

people =

last month and I have to really wonder about their future. Will they be 

arou=

nd?  Maybe.<BR>

<BR>

I hate to say this but they are company that has done all the wrong 

things.=

 They have really ticked off Infini-D and Painter users. <BR>

<BR>

I think the Metastream plug-in is a cool idea,but I don't see a future in 

i=

t. Maybe they can take some lessons from Macromedia. It is possible to 

acqui=

re a product or company and have it turn out well. I think the acquistion 

of=

 FutureWave is a prime example because if it weren't for that I have to 

wond=

er if this list would exist and my guess would probably be no.<BR>

<BR>

My 2 cents,<BR>

Michael<BR>

<BR>

Michael Greenberg<BR>

Macromedia Evangelism<BR>

Multimedia/Shockwave Developer (Director and Flash)<BR>

Project Manager of Mercavia Web Site<BR>

http://www.enquest.com<BR>

http://www.mercavia.com<BR>

<BR>

email:

macmikeatl [dot] mindspring [dot] com

<BR>

mgreenbergenquest [dot] com

<BR>

<BR>

- ----------<BR>

&gt;From: Dean Johnson &lt;

drjohnnetropolis [dot] net

&gt;<BR>

&gt;To:

flashershocker [dot] com

<BR>

&gt;Subject: FLASH: Re: &lt;OT&gt; MetaStream<BR>

&gt;Date: Thu, Aug 20, 1998, 1:46 AM<BR>

&gt;<BR>

<BR>

&gt;<BR>

&gt;<BR>

&gt;Aaron Cushing wrote:<BR>

&gt;<BR>

&gt;&gt; Anybody seen or used this stuff? Supposedly, it does for 3d what 

F=

lash does<BR>

&gt;&gt; for vector art.<BR>

&gt;&gt; Looks pretty cool.<BR>

&gt;&gt; http://www.metastream.com<BR>

&gt;&gt; The only problem is, there's no Mac version of the plugin yet 

:-(<=

BR>

&gt;&gt;<BR>

&gt;&gt; Aaron<BR>

&gt;<BR>

&gt;Hi Aaron<BR>

&gt;<BR>

&gt;I have been playing around with the Metastream plugin on a site I'm 

doi=

ng for a<BR>

&gt;demo, don't have the account yet. I'm using some Flash 2 also. It 

start=

ed as my<BR>

&gt;first attempt at any really useful Web stuff so it's very crude. But 

th=

e<BR>

&gt;Metastream plugin gives you a nice way of displaying 3D and it does 

pro=

duce<BR>

&gt;fairly small files. I modeled a ring in RayDream Studio 5 and 

exported =

a .mts<BR>

&gt;file. It's displayed in a popup window when the user selects 

different =

options<BR>

&gt;for the ring. So far I am not real pleased with the results but I'm 

lea=

rning. I<BR>

&gt;understand the Mac version is on it's way.<BR>

&gt;<BR>

&gt;Let me know if I can be of any help . . .<BR>

&gt;Dean<BR>

&gt;<BR>

&gt;<BR>

&gt;-----------------------------------------------------------------------

=

- -<BR>

&gt;To UNSUBSCRIBE send: unsubscribe flasher in the body of an<BR>

&gt;email to

list-managershocker [dot] com

.  Problems to:

ownershocker [dot] com

<BR>

&gt;N.B. Email address must be the same as the one you used to 

subscribe.<B=

R>

&gt;For info on digest mode send: info flasher to

list-managershocker [dot] com

<=

BR>

<BR>

<BR>

</BODY>

</HTML>


- --MS_Mac_OE_2986449751_196416_MIME_Part--




You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him find it within 

himself.

     ‹ Galileo



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