The very first text editor 3673

Maybe the only way he knew how to e-mail anything was by typing it into Word and doing some sort of bizarre cut & paste operation. As for me, whenever I want someone to send me a text file, I specify that they first zip it. This has several advantages:

1. The resulting file is guaranteed to come through intact. Zip applies and checks its own CRCs, so I'll know if line hits or other screwups have garbled anything. Even e-mail systems can sometimes play with line wrap, spacing, etc.

2. For most users, trimming unwanted data is simply not an option. Therefore, if someone decided to send 5 megabytes of text I don't need, at least it'll come through faster.

3. Multiple files can be sent as one unit, without requiring me to use a text editor to split them apart at this end.

4. Yes, I know it's a bug, but my mail program tries to include text file attachments as part of the message body.

Unfortunately, many users wouldn't recognize a Zip program if it came up and bit them on the ankle.

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