Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site brl-tgr.ARPA Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!brl-tgr!wmartin From: wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) Newsgroups: net.news Subject: Including "REPLACE LINE" lines Message-ID: <5333@brl-tgr.ARPA> Date: Tue, 16-Oct-84 15:41:55 EDT Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.5333 Posted: Tue Oct 16 15:41:55 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 18-Oct-84 00:43:54 EDT Distribution: net Organization: Ballistic Research Lab Lines: 23 *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE *** I left the preceeding in deliberately. You know why you see this damn "REPLACE LINE" showing up everywhere? BECAUSE YOU DON'T SEE THAT LINE TO CHANGE, REPLACE, OR DELETE IT WITH A LINE EDITOR!!!!!! I use "ed" all the time. If I used "vi" or emacs or some other screen editor, I'd probably see that line to wipe it out. With "ed" or another line editor, all the user gets is the number of characters in the buffer. He then types "a" and proceeds to enter the text. Only if he has made errors or wants to re-read the posting will he do a "1,$p" after completing the input, and ONLY THEN will he see the "REPLACE LINE" line. So it is not at all unlikely that many short postings will go out with that line completely unseen by the poster. I vote to remove it from the postnews and followup process entirely! Will Martin USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin or ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA