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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