Dear Jo,
I have just been trapped in a 45 minute cycle dowloading monstrous large
attachments for a three-hour program in England. It's an interesting
program, but I can't possibly travel to England to attend a three-hour
program. Instead, to receive this news -- I have had to undergo a download
of attachments that took 45 minutes, 25% as long as the actual program
itself.
Because it was cross-posted, I received the same parcel of attachments
three times. Since I am working at home, I have been obliged to download
them over a copper-wire modem at daytime phone rates simply to carry on
with my normal email. If I don't download them, they block everything
behind them and I can't get on with my work.
Finally, the DRS list to which this was posted has a no-attachments policy.
For many reasons, the EAD list should, too.
I see nothing here that justifies a pdf file or an MS word document in
excess of one megabyte. Instead, the basics should be posted in ascii --
plain text -- in an emaoil, with a web pointer for those who want to go
further.
The members of EAD scattered across Europe simply won't go to the UK for
program lasting only three hours, not even if the Queen Mother invites us
personally. You can be sure that DRS members from the US, Japan, South
America and New Zealand have similar restrictions on their travel funding.
The Australians are so mobile these days that one or two might actually
show up -- but even they might question a massive load of multi-meg
attachments sent three times.
The requirements of email communication involves sensitivity to the
systemic needs of the many readers and members who use the medium. This,
too, is a serious design parameter.
This is an intersting program and I would have welcomed the information as
an email. Knowing the need for overlap to cover potentially interested
specialist audiences, I would even have welcomed the same email three
different times. With a standard, rapid email download, multiple coverage
is no problem. I am about to cross-post a conference announcement myself,
email only, with more details on a web site.
It's only the attachments to which I object.
I formally request that EAD initiate a policy prohibiting the use of email
attachments on the EAD list.
Best regards,
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