Slightly OT : Newsletters, Mail Formatting And Netiquette

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Hi,

This question is not exactly CentOS-related strictly speaking, but here goes. I’m running a few newsletter servers for myself and a handful of clients on public CentOS servers with PHPList.

For the last twenty years or so I’ve followed the basic rule that mails should have no formatting whatsoever, only simple text. And now I wonder if that basic rule of netiquette also applies to newsletters.

I’m a subscriber to a series of tech-related newsletters, and I couldn’t help but notice that they all seem to be HTML-formatted, even those from respectable hardcore geek groups.

So my somewhat naive question: is HTML formatting acceptable in newsletters?

Cheers,

Niki

Microlinux – Solutions informatiques durables
7, place de l’église – 30730 Montpezat Site : https://www.microlinux.fr Blog : https://blog.microlinux.fr Mail : info@microlinux.fr Tél. : 04 66 63 10 32

6 thoughts on - Slightly OT : Newsletters, Mail Formatting And Netiquette

  • Not only is it acceptable, but it has become the norm unfortunately.

    If you do switch to HTML format, bare in mind it may have consequences on how other servers label you (or not) as SPAM, so do a few thorough test rounds.


    Sent from the Delta quadrant using Borg technology!

    Nux!
    http://www.nux.ro

    —– Original Message —–

  • Cameron Smith wrote:
    really dislike HTML email, and even when I can read it, it’s *really*
    ugly.

    But then, I also consider HTML email a *great* way to spread malware.

    mark

  • I would prefer simple text in tech and security related news but you are right – they are HTML formatted. I think it is pure marketing thing. people dump other stuff to remind you who they are and for a sort of entertaining us.

    The same story is in OS desktop GUI including Linux. I use CentOS 6 and 7 and still do not like 7. Not to mention in the morning Win 10 with all its crap included.

    Mikhail Utin

  • Nicolas Kovacs wrote:

    Most so-called “newsletters” nowadays are only a collection of URLs and do not contain any news or any information at all. That totally defeats the purpose of a newsletter and makes them entirely useless.

    So no, it´s unacceptable. HTML mail automatically goes into my spam folder anyway, and I avoid subscribing to so-called “newsletters”.