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Election 2006 (and beyond): Digital Copyright Canada
From: Russell McOrmond <russell_-at-_flora.ca>
To: flora-admin-help_-at-_flora.org
Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2001 11:30:46 -0500 (EST)
With many of the newer email programs defaulting to sending out HTML or
other attachment type, we need to send people instructions on how to
change this default. The default for email should always be to send
plain text, and then to add any 'enhancements' into the address book entry
for individuals you have negotiated other features with.
Here is a page that lists out many popular email programs, and indicates
how to set the defaults to plain text, no attachments.
http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/listadmins/plaintext.html
---
Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
See http://weblog.flora.org/ for announcements, activities, and opinions
Oppose DMCA in Canada! (C) reform process.... IP Counter Essay Contest!
G20 events, Electoral Reform, Taxation, Microsoft, Buy Nothing Day, ..
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2001 10:29:35 -0500
From: Russell McOrmond <russell@flora.ca>
To: russell@flora.ca
Subject: RootsWeb HelpDesk: List Administrators
Problem Solving: Sending Messages in Plain Text
When posting to a RootsWeb mailing list, your message should be sent
as "plain text." You should not send messages as HTML or RTF (rich
text format) to a mailing list. In most instances you can control the
format by adjusting the settings in your mail program.
The following instructions for formatting your mail to plain text were
contributed by RootsWeb users (for which we are very thankful). If you
do not find your program listed, check the help menu within your mail
program. For additions or corrections to this listing, please contact
the HelpDesk.
Agent/Free Agent (Forte), AOL, Blitzmail, Entourage 2001 (Mac),
Eudora, Hotmail, Internet Explorer, Juno, Lotus Notes, Microsoft
Exchange, MSN Explorer, MSN-TV, Netscape, Outlook/Outlook Express,
Pegasus, Pine, Poco, Star, TheBat, WebTV, Yahoo Mail
Mail Program Instructions for sending plain text mail and/or turning
off HTML and RFT
Agent or Free Agent (Forte) 1. Click on "Options."
2. Select "General Preferences."
3. Select "Languages."
4. Under "Usenet Text and E-mail Text," turn off "MIME.''
AOL
Version 6.0 and 7.0
Shut off your signature file, if it includes HTML formatting. If it
doesn't resolve the problem, change your global e-mail preferences
(you only need to do this once):
1. Go to Keyword: "Preferences" (or choose "Preferences" from the
"Settings" menu).
2. Click on "Font, Text, & Graphics Preferences."
3. Click on the "Reset" button at the bottom of the resulting window.
Do not make any changes in the "Font Preferences" area of the window.
4. Click on the "Save" button.
Version 6.0 -- For Each E-mail:
1. Compose and address the e-mail.
2. Choose "Select All" from the "Edit" menu to highlight the entire
message.
3. Right-click somewhere over the highlighted text.
4. Choose "Normal" from the "Text" menu.
5. Taking care not to make any further changes to the message, send
it.
or
1. Go to the top menu marked "Settings."
2. Click on "Preferences" and choose "Mail.
3. Make sure the mail options marked "show white headers" and "show
addresses as hyperlinks" are not checked.
Blitzmail
Version 2.5 and Higher
1. Go to "Options" menu in the composing window.
2. Select "Send Plain Text."
Entourage 2001 (Mac)
1. Click on the "Edit" menu.
2. Select "Preferences" and then "Mail and News."
3. Click on the "Compose" tab.
4. Under "Messages," set the pull-down menus for "Mail Format" and
"News Format" to plain text.
5. Click the "Reply & Forward" tab.
6. Uncheck "Reply to messages using the format in which they sent."
7. Click on OK
Eudora, Eudora Pro, and Eudora Light
Eudora Version 4.0 and Higher
1. Click on the "Tools" menu and then select "Options."
2. Select "Styled Text."
3. Check "Send plain text only" or "Ask me each time."
4. Uncheck "Send the signature with styles."
or
1. Click on the "Tools" menu and then select "Options."
2. Select "Styled Text."
3. Check "Send both plain and styled."
4. Use the "Clear formatting" option on the toolbar, or by clicking on
the "Edit" menu then selecting "Text" and "Clear formatting."
Eudora Pro Version 4.2
1. Click on the "Tools" menu and then select "Options."
2. Select "Styled Text."
3. Check "Send plain text only" or "Ask me each time."
4. Uncheck "Send the signature with styles."
or
1. Click on the "Tools" menu and then select "Options."
2. Select "Styled Text."
3. Check "Send both plain and styled."
4. Use the "Clear formatting" option on the toolbar, or by clicking on
the "Edit" menu then selecting "Text" and "Clear formatting."
Eudora Pro Version 4.0.2 and Earlier
1. Click on the "Tools" menu and then select "Options."
2. Select "Styled Text."
3. Check either (or both) "Warn me when I queue a message with styled
text" or "Discard styles before sending messages."
or
1. When posting a styled message use the "Clear formatting" option on
the toolbar, or by clicking on the "Edit" menu and then selecting
"Text" and "Clear formatting."
Eudora Light Version 3.0.6
1. Click on the "Tools" menu and then select "Options."
2. Select the "Sending Mail" category.
3. Uncheck the box for "May use quoted-printable."
Eudora Light Version 3.0.5 and Earlier
1. Click on the "Tools" menu and then select "Options."
2. Select the "Extra Warnings" category.
3. Check the box for "Warn me" when I "Queue a message with Styled
Text."
Hotmail
1. Click on "Compose," and enter the address and subject line.
2. Before composing the message, click on "Tools" (next to "Copy
message to sent folder").
3. On the drop-down "Tools" menu, the last entry is a toggle switch to
turn the rich-text editor on and off. If you see "Rich-text editor ON"
it means you will be sending the message as plain text (it is giving
you the option to turn it on, which you don't want to do). If you see
"Rich-text editor OFF," click on it to toggle it to the off position.
Note: If you see a tool bar with formatting functions including
bolding (B), paint cans, etc. you are not sending the mail as plain
text. Go into the "Tools" menu and click on "Rich-text editor OFF" so
it is in plain text mode. The tool bar will disappear when you do
that.
Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 3.02 with Internet Mail
1. Click on "Mail."
2. Click on "Options" and then choose the "Send" tab.
3. Near the bottom are two choices. Choose "Q Plain Text."
4. To use HTML in individual messages (those not going to mailing
lists), choose HTML in the Format menu found within each E-mail
message.
Juno
1. Choose the "Edit" menu and then click point to "E-mail Message
Format."
2. Click on "View."
3. Click on "Plain Text."
4. In the "Remove Formatting" box, click "Yes."
Lotus Notes
Lotus Notes R5
1. Choose the "File" menu and then "Mobile."
2. Select "Edit Current Location."
2. Select the "Mail" tab.
3. Under "Format for messages addressed to Internet addresses" select
MIME Format instead of Rich Text Format.
Lotus Notes
1. Choose "File" menu and then "Preferences."
2. Select "User Preferences" and then click on the "Mail and News"
icon.
3. Under "Internet message format" (or "Internet News Format"), choose
"plain text."
Microsoft Exchange
1. Click on "Tools."
2. Select the "Services" tab and highlight "Internet Mail."
3. Click on "Properties."
4. In the "Internet Mail, General" window, select "Message Format."
5. Uncheck "Use MIME when sending messages" and select "Character
Set."
6. In the "UUENCODE Character Set" window click the down arrow that
shows next to the rectangular "window" (below where it says "specify a
character set for message" text).
7. Check "US ASCII", then click "OK."
8. Click "OK" on the "Options" menu.
MSN Explorer
MSN Explorer Tech support states "that MSN Explorer and
MSN.com send web-based HTML e-mail ONLY and cannot be configured to
send plain text." If you use MSN as your e-mail service (i.e.,
username@msn.com) you can go to Hotmail.com and send e-mail from there
in plain text via the PASSPORT system.
MSN-TV or WebTV
1. Remove HTML signatures by going to the "Write Page."
2. Click on "Remove Signature", which is to the left of the "Send"
button.
Netscape Version 6.0 and Higher
1. Select "Edit" and then click on "Preferences."
2. Click on the arrow symbol before "Mail & Newsgroups."
3. Click on "Message Composition."
4. In the "Forwarding and Replying to Messages" section, change the
"Forward messages:" to "Inline."
5. In the "Composing Messages" section, uncheck "For messages that
contain eight-bit characters."
6. Click on "Send Formatting."
7. In the section "When sending message in HTML format...," click on
"Ask me what to do."
8. Click on "OK."
9. When in a new message screen (Compose), select "Options" in the
taskbar.
10. Select "Format."
11. Click on "Plain text only."
12. Send the message.
Versions 4.5, 4.6, 4.7
1. Select "Edit" and then click on "Preferences."
2. Click on the "+" sign before "Mail & Newsgroups."
3. Click on "Messages."
4. In the "Forward and Replying to Messages" section, change "By
default, forward messages:" to "Inline."
5. In the "Send messages that use eight-bit characters" section, click
on "As is."
6. Click on "Formatting."
7. In the "Message formatting" section, click on "Use the plain text
editor to compose messages."
8. In the "When sending HTML mail messages" section, click on "Ask me
what to do."
9. Click on "OK."
10. Turn off Address Book Cards (also referred to as vCards) by:
a. Select "Edit" and then click on "Preferences."
b. Click on the plus sign "+" before "Mail & Newsgroups."
c. Click on "Identity," and uncheck "Attach my personal
card."
d. Click on "OK."
Versions 4.0x - 4.4x
1. Select "Edit" and then click on "Preferences."
2. Click on the "+" before "Mail and Groups & Messages."
3. Click on "Messages" and uncheck "By default, send HTML messages."
4. Click on "More Options."
5. In the section "When sending HTML messages to recipients who are
not listed as being able to receive HTML," click "Always convert the
message into plain text (may lose some formatting)."
6. Click on "OK," and on "OK" again.
7. Turn off Address Book Cards (also referred to as vCards) by:
a. Select "Edit" and then click on "Preferences."
b. Click on the plus sign "+" before "Mail & Newsgroups."
c. Click on "Identity," and uncheck "Always send Address
Book Cards."
d. Click on "OK."
Version 3.xx
1. Click on "Tools" and then click on "Mail Options."
2. Click on the "Send" tab.
3. In the "Mail Sending Format" area, click the check box next to
"Plain Text."
4. Click on "Settings."
5. In the section "Message Format", click "MIME."
6. In the check box next to "Encode text using," select "None."
7. Uncheck "Allow eight-bit characters in headers."
8. Click on "OK."
Outlook and Outlook Express
Outlook 2000
1. Select "Tools" and then click on "Options."
2. Click on the "Mail Format" tab.
3. In the "Message Format" section, select "Plain Text" from the
pull-down menu. (see Notes).
4. Click "OK."
Notes:
* If you have HTML format selected in Step 3 (above), the "Send
e-mail using plain text only" option on the properties sheet of
your address book won't work.
* Make sure the check box is unchecked (empty) in front of "Use
Microsoft Word to edit e-mail messages."
* Outlook Help states that you can switch message formats after
starting a message, but it won't work if you use Word as your
e-mail editor. It only works if you use the internal Outlook mail
editor and switch between plain text and HTML formats.
Outlook 98 (Internet Version)
1. Select "Tools" and then click on "Options."
2. Click on the "Mail Format" tab.
3. For "Mail Formatting," select "Plain Text" from the drop-down box.
4. Click "OK."
Outlook 98 (Work Group Version)
1. Select "Tools" and then click on "Options."
2. Click on the "Mail Format" tab.
3. In the "Send in this message format" area, select "Plain Text" from
the drop-down box.
4. Click "OK."
Outlook 97 (with Service Release 1 SR1)
1. Select "Tools" and then click on "Options."
2. Click on the "Internet E-mail" tab.
3. Select "MIME" -- not "UUENCODE."
4. Uncheck the check box "Allow eight-bit characters in headers."
5. Check the "Line wrap" box and set to 80 or less (preferably 72).
6. Check that you use the "US ASCII" character set.
7. Click "OK."
Notes:
* If you are using your Outlook 97 address book to send messages to
the mail list, make certain you do not have Rich Text Format
selected for that address book entry: Open the "Personal Address
Book," double click on the recipients name, uncheck "Always send
to this recipient in Windows Messaging Rich Text Format," and
close the "Options" window.
* The original version of Outlook 97 automatically formats all
"Reply" messages in Rich Text Format. This can be corrected in any
of the following ways:
1. Download and install the Office 97 Service Release 1 (SR1)
2. Download and install inetmail.exe that updates Outlook 97.
3. In the E-mail box, double-click the e-mail address. Clear the
"Always send to this recipient in Windows Messaging Rich Text
Format" check box. This must be done *each* time a message is sent
via the Reply button.
Outlook Express
To send plain text messages to a specific address (such as a mailing
list):
1. Add the address to your address book.
2. Select "Tools" and then click on "Address Book."
3. Right-click the entry you always want to send messages to in plain
text.
4. On the shortcut menu, click "Properties."
5. On the "Name" tab, select "Send E-Mail using plain text only."
6. Click "OK."
or
To send plain text messages to everyone:
1. Select "Tools" and then click on "Options."
2. Click on the "Send" tab.
3. Select "Plain Text" under "Mail Sending Format."
4. Click "OK."
Outlook Express for Macintosh
1. Click on "Edit" and then "Preferences."
2. The triangle next to "Outlook Express" should be pointing down
instead of to the right (otherwise click once to make it so).
3. Under the "Outlook Express" heading, select "Message Composition."
4. Select "Plain text" for the "Mail sending format" box (top left).
5. Verify "Uuencode" is selected next to "Attachment sending:" (near
the middle bottom).
Pegasus
1. Click on "Tools" and then "Options."
2. Click on "Sending Mail" tab.
3. In the "When sending messages containing rich (formatted) text"
section, check "Always remove formatting."
4. In the "Advanced settings" section, uncheck all four options.
5. Click on "OK."
Pine
1. From the main menu, select "S" (SETUP- Configure Pine Options).
2. Select or type "C" (Config).
3. Type "w" (Word to find:) and enter "character-" to find
Character-Set. Leave as <No Value Set>.
4. Type "w" again and enter "include-" to find
Include-attachments-in-reply. Leave or set the box to unchecked. This
feature controls an aspect of Pine's Reply command. If set, any MIME
attachments that were part of the original message will automatically
be included in the Reply.
5. Select or type "E" (Exit) and type "Y" (Yes) to commit changes.
6. Select or type "Q" (Quit), type "Y."
Poco
1. If the "Style" toolbar is not showing, click on "View" and then
"Show Style Toolbar."
2. To send a plain message, depress the Styled button.
Star Office
1. When composing a message, go to the "View" menu.
2. Select "Options."
3. From the "Format" menu, select "Plain text only."
To configure the format specifically for the list address:
1. Open Communicator.
2. Go to the Communicator menu and select "Address Book."
3. Double-click the entry you wish to configure (the list address).
4. In the "Card" window, leave it blank to send plain text.
5. Click OK to save your changes.
Note: Click here for additional configuration choices.
TheBat
TheBat always writes in plain text. However, because TheBat is
multi-lingual, users may experience a problem because of accented
characters and foreign character sets. Users from non-Latin character
set countries should ensure that they use the Latin character set by
(for instance) specifying %CHARSET="ISO-8859-1" in their address book
template for "New and Reply" messages to the list.
Yahoo Mail
1. Select "Mail Preferences."
2. Under "Version" select "always use non-frames, non-javascript
version."
3. Under "Forwarding" select "forward as in-line text."
4. Under "Replying" select "include full message."
If you use a signature:
1. Select "plain text."
or
2. Set plain text signature as the default by:
a. Select "Mail Preferences."
b. Under "Signature" select "plain text."
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