Comments on: HTML Email vs Plain Text Email. http://www.edwardstafford.com/blog/2008/03/14/html-email-vs-plain-text-email/ Code, Rants, Raves, Reviews and Mutterings from the IT trenches. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:47:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Ed Stafford http://www.edwardstafford.com/blog/2008/03/14/html-email-vs-plain-text-email/comment-page-1/#comment-804 Ed Stafford Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:20:58 +0000 http://www.edwardstafford.com/blog/2008/03/14/html-email-vs-plain-text-email/#comment-804 Andrea, Thanks for your input. You make some good arguments especially with the mobile devices. "Elegantly-degrading methods"! - I am adding that to my wish list. Your right that, in the end, it should be up to the recipient of our messages to decide how they want to receive and read the email. In order to reach more devices and give readers more options, then I guess it's a no brainer. Andrea,
Thanks for your input. You make some good arguments especially with the mobile devices. “Elegantly-degrading methods”! - I am adding that to my wish list. Your right that, in the end, it should be up to the recipient of our messages to decide how they want to receive and read the email. In order to reach more devices and give readers more options, then I guess it’s a no brainer.

]]> By: Ed Stafford http://www.edwardstafford.com/blog/2008/03/14/html-email-vs-plain-text-email/comment-page-1/#comment-803 Ed Stafford Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:04:35 +0000 http://www.edwardstafford.com/blog/2008/03/14/html-email-vs-plain-text-email/#comment-803 Subhankar, Thanks for your feedback. Part of my frustration with sending email is that you can't control the how the message is rendered on the other end. I think plain text formats provide better support with fewer issues, but that could just as well be an easy way out. I think what you are describing is called Multi-part alternative. I think that adding the multi-part alternative headers and support to our lists is probably the best option. Good luck with your PHP mailer. Subhankar,
Thanks for your feedback. Part of my frustration with sending email is that you can’t control the how the message is rendered on the other end. I think plain text formats provide better support with fewer issues, but that could just as well be an easy way out. I think what you are describing is called Multi-part alternative. I think that adding the multi-part alternative headers and support to our lists is probably the best option. Good luck with your PHP mailer.

]]> By: Andrea http://www.edwardstafford.com/blog/2008/03/14/html-email-vs-plain-text-email/comment-page-1/#comment-801 Andrea Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:24:18 +0000 http://www.edwardstafford.com/blog/2008/03/14/html-email-vs-plain-text-email/#comment-801 I think both types of mailings have value, since it gives users the options to choose their preference depending on whether or not their more visually oriented vs. text oriented in their reading. Not to mention that, depending on what email options you have -- web-based company email vs. the option to use a mail client vs. reading email on a mobile device -- it's nice to be able to pick and choose what works for you. I'm more likely to subscribe to an email list or email updates if I have the option to switch to plain text, mostly because so many HTML mailings are coded really poorly even for a mail client, and I can't usually see that until I receive the first one. I also tend to read email on my Blackberry a good deal, and fishing through the unrendered code for the text of the message it thoroughly unfun. If only mailers used elegantly-degrading methods... I think both types of mailings have value, since it gives users the options to choose their preference depending on whether or not their more visually oriented vs. text oriented in their reading. Not to mention that, depending on what email options you have — web-based company email vs. the option to use a mail client vs. reading email on a mobile device — it’s nice to be able to pick and choose what works for you.

I’m more likely to subscribe to an email list or email updates if I have the option to switch to plain text, mostly because so many HTML mailings are coded really poorly even for a mail client, and I can’t usually see that until I receive the first one. I also tend to read email on my Blackberry a good deal, and fishing through the unrendered code for the text of the message it thoroughly unfun. If only mailers used elegantly-degrading methods…

]]> By: Subhankar Ray http://www.edwardstafford.com/blog/2008/03/14/html-email-vs-plain-text-email/comment-page-1/#comment-799 Subhankar Ray Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:24:43 +0000 http://www.edwardstafford.com/blog/2008/03/14/html-email-vs-plain-text-email/#comment-799 It happened to be the same issue bothering me a lot recently. My php mailer does mess up my text email [at least my test shows] extra lines, wrong line breaks. They do not look pretty at all. Today I got an email from Google, look very much like a text message, however, looking in to the source shows it is a html email with bare minimum tags for better formatting. In the worst case, html email must show the text part [if I understand it right]. Hence, I am going to use html email very soon. For the problem of deliverability, I added domain key and SPF. It happened to be the same issue bothering me a lot recently. My php mailer does mess up my text email [at least my test shows] extra lines, wrong line breaks. They do not look pretty at all. Today I got an email from Google, look very much like a text message, however, looking in to the source shows it is a html email with bare minimum tags for better formatting. In the worst case, html email must show the text part [if I understand it right]. Hence, I am going to use html email very soon. For the problem of deliverability, I added domain key and SPF.

]]> By: Michael http://www.edwardstafford.com/blog/2008/03/14/html-email-vs-plain-text-email/comment-page-1/#comment-778 Michael Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:03:20 +0000 http://www.edwardstafford.com/blog/2008/03/14/html-email-vs-plain-text-email/#comment-778 While I personally prefer text email, I think that HTML email definitely has a place when you're doing broadcast mailings - but only if you're doing it through a service like MyEmma. The cost is more than worth it, you get to put out beautiful emails that won't be triggered by spam filters. While I personally prefer text email, I think that HTML email definitely has a place when you’re doing broadcast mailings - but only if you’re doing it through a service like MyEmma. The cost is more than worth it, you get to put out beautiful emails that won’t be triggered by spam filters.

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