In article <1137417753.799698.232...@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
   Dave Braine <d...@pilot.pprune.com> wrote:

 Top-posting is when someone replies at the top of a message/posting,
reproducing the (often entire) message they are replying to (and sometimes
all the previous messages) underneath.

It is due to thoughtless acceptance of where some software places the
cursor/caret and ignorance. Ignorance of the following points:

        1. It is wasteful of bandwidth, in that (often) far more of the
previous message(s) is reproduced than is necessary, wasting 'bandwidth'.
('bandwidth' often equates to 'money' for those on dial-up).

        2. It is less clear exactly which bit of the message is being
replied to - one has to search below to find the context of the message for
each point.

        3. It is nowhere near as clear as properly snipped interleaved
replying, which allows logical response to material point-by-point.

        4. It (here) contravenes the established practice and gets up
everyone's nose.

Having said that, it seems to be perfectly acceptable on some news groups
(I have heard), and there the advice of 'lurking' before posting to find
out the accepted method of posting is wise counsel.

That doesn't make it 'right', though.

John

--
John Williams, Wirral, Merseyside, UK - no attachments to these addresses!
Non-RISC OS posters change user to johnrwilliams or put 'risc' in subject
for reliable contact! Who is John Williams? http://www.picindex.info/author/