Subj : a fidonet-style requoter util for nntp users
To   : Alexander Koryagin
From : August Abolins
Date : Fri Dec 27 2019 09:42 pm

Hello Alexander!

Here's hoping that you will see this reply eventually.

** 27.12.19 - 18:24, August Abolins wrote:

 AA>A few tips from the author of the Reformator program mentioned previously:

 AA>-------- Forwarded Message --------
 AA>Date: Fri, 27 Dec 2019 10:33:42 +0200
 AA>From: Alexander Koryagin : August Abolins <0@360.221.2>
 AA>Newsgroups: fido.english_tutor

 AA>> BTW.. I am liking your Reformator program very much! I think I got
 AA>> the right routine of copy-paste-quote-copy-paste that works for me.
 AA>> I like the way it skips quoting the citing section.

 AK>I also want to clarify some formatting options. If you do just
 AK>"format" it means that both quoted and not-quoted text will be wrapped
 AK>- the lines will be chopped by "line length".

Understood.  But I use the program a bit differently so that I don't have  
to do any unwrapping or unformatting.  More later, below.


 AK>If you make "unformat not-quoted text only" the quoted paragraphs will
 AK>be formatted, but the simple text paragraphs become in the form of one
 AK>long line -- the form that looks well on the screens of any size.

At first, I used the program to construct my whole reply. Now I just do  
this:

[1] copy the whole message of the original as-is to clipboard.
[2] paste the clipboard into Reformator
[3] configure "Intial-1" to what I need.
[4] execute "Format+level"
[5] copy the whole result to clipboard
[6] initiate "reply" in my nntp reader
[7] replace the contents of that with the clipboard.
[8] complete final editing in nntp reader.

The editor in the nntp reader automatically generates the free-flow  
unformatted text of my actual reply.


 AK>That's why we rather should not format "our simple text" while writing
 AK>messages to the Fidonet. Now many people write messages to the Fidonet
 AK>using small gadgets with narrow screens (like smart phones). We should
 AK>think of them.

I like the unformatted / free-flow behaviour of text as well.

I tried reading and working with nntp messages on my iPod Touch several  
years ago.  It was fine for some reading, but working with replies was a  
horrible experience on a tiny/narrow screen.  I abandoned the practice  
quickly.  I don't see the practicality of nntp on anything smaller than 2"  
on the narrow part.  Tilting the iPod to give me a landscape view with  
about 3" viewable width wasn't that much better and made for a shorter  
field of view.


 AA>After completing your message it is a good idea to select all the text
 AA>(except the title) and make "unformat not-quoted text only".

I don't have to do that if I create my non-quoted original reply text in  
the nntp editor.  <g>


 AA>Usually, when you read messages, standard Fidonet software unformat
 AA>the paragraphs with quotation by itself, so they look well at the
 AA>screens of any size. But simple text in the form of chopped lines will
 AA>look badly on small size gadgets.

I did not know that there was Fidonet software that can "unformat the  
paragraphs with quotation" and free-low that to accommodate different  
screen view sizes.

Which particular systems do that?


 AA>PS: But nobody demands to write here in a super perfect way! ;-))

There is that! I hope.


  ../|ug

--- OpenXP 5.0.40
 * Origin: /|ug's Point, Ont. CANADA (2:221/1.58)

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