Soren Stoutner <so...@debian.org> wrote on 15/03/2025 at 19:44:21+0100:
> ----- BACKGROUND STARTS ----- > > The text of the current mailing list code of conduct states: > > "Wrap your lines at 80 characters or less for ordinary discussion. Lines > longer > than 80 characters are acceptable for computer-generated output (e.g., ls > -l)." > > https://www.debian.org/MailingLists/ > > There were historical reasons for requiring people to wrap outgoing emails > relating to some older MUAs (Mail User Agents also known as email clients) not > having the ability to wrap the text of incoming emails and some older screens > being limited to an 80 character width. > > These historical reasons no longer apply, as every MUA of which I am aware now > has the ability to wrap incoming lines. > > From a technical perspective, I believe having the sending MUA hard-wrap lines > at a particular column is the incorrect approach because there is no single > line > limit that works well on all receiving devices. Many cell phones have a > display > width of 40 columns or less, while modern desktops have a display width of far > more than 80 columns. The only system that knows how big the viewport is > where > the mail will be displayed is the receiving MUA, so that is where decisions > about line wrapping should be made. > > Having hard line wraps also causes problem with quoted text, where after > multiple replies text will start to break in places that can make some of the > quoted text appear to not be quoted. I am sure that everyone on the mailing > lists has seen emails exhibiting that problem. > > There has is some discussion about this issue on debian-devel beginning at: > > https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2025/02/msg00302.html > > In that discussion, several people have suggested the use of format=flowed as > a > solution. Format=flowed is an RFC that proposes a system for hard-wrapping > text > but including special codes that allow a receiving MUA to unwrap them and then > rewrap them to the current viewport. > > https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2646.txt > > Format=flowed never gained wide adoption by the majority of MUAs. Although I > don't have any objections to anyone using it, I don't see it as an appropriate > requirement for communication on the mailing lists or a general solution to > the > problems of hard-wrapped text because it doesn't have wide enough > implementation. > > ----- BACKGROUND ENDS ----- > > > ----- GENERAL RESOLUTION STARTS ----- > > It is no longer required that emails sent to or received from official Debian > infrastructure like the mailing lists or the BTS (Bug Tracking System) be > wrapped at any particular column, although users and automated systems may > choose to wrap emails at any column they prefer. Using format=flowed is not > required for emails, but users and automated systems may do so if they like. > > The maintainers of the mailing list code of conduct shall update the text > relating to the wrapping of emails at 80 characters to be the following: > > "There is no expectation that emails sent to the mailing lists are wrapped by > the sender at a particular column, but those sending emails may wrap them if > they choose." > > In the future, they may modify the above text of the code of conduct to meet > changing circumstances as long as it does not violate the spirit of this > General > Resolution. > > ----- GENERAL RESOLUTION ENDS ----- If this GR would get enough seconds (5 IIRC) to start a discussion period, I intent to add this ballot option: -------- BALLOT OPTION STARTS -------- Title: GR not needed A GR on the matter is not necessary. -------- BALLOT OPTION ENDS -------- This GR proposal is a waste of our collective time. Please be considerate of every developer's free time and follow due processes. Regards, -- PEB
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