[Gpdd] [TECH]Turning of HTML for PC and Mac

[Rod]

Sorry this got long.  Wanted to help those who may not be able to get to
the web location.

I found this little lot at 

http://www.expita.com/nomime.html#aol7

I Hope it will help you.

Some good stuff.  Some of it looks a bit scary but you should be able to
follow the directions.

There are many versions of AOL so be sure to look at what ver you have
first...:)

Samples:-
------------------------------------------

For  Hotmail

    * Click on "Compose tab", address the message and fill in the "Subject"
line
    * Before composing the message, click on "Tools" (next to "Copy message
to sent folder")
    * Click on "Rich-text editor OFF" to set off
    * NOTE: The toggle is actually counter-intuitive. That is, if the drop
menu choice says "Rich -Text Editor OFF" RTF formatting is on. When the
toggle shows "Rich -Text Editor ON" RTF formatting is off.
    * If you receive a pop up message "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Click "OK" and wait for text formatting tools to disappear
    * NOTE: If you are using Netscape, then you will NOT be given the the
choice to turn ON/OFF RTF formatting. Messages will be sent in plain text
format.
    * Compose your plain text message
    * Send your plain text message
-----------------------------------------------


 AOL 5.0 and earlier

AOL automatically converts all attachments to MIME when you click on the
"Attach" button. So don't use this button.
AOL 6.0

AOL now supports Multipart/Alternative formatted messages which means that
a single message sent from a user now contains a plain-text version and a
formatted version. Users who use e-mail programs that do NOT support HTML
will be able to read the plain-text version of the message without any of
the cryptic HTML codes.

Likewise, if the e-mail client supports the HTML format, then the user will
read that version.

The headers will show the Content-Type line similar to:

        Mime-Version: 1.0
        Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=blah...blah...
        Content-Disposition: Inline
        X-Mailer: 6.0 sub 171

AOL recommends this method to send plain text:

    * Make sure your font is set to Arial (which should be the default).
    * Type your message (in Arial) and then highlight it. Then, right mouse
click, select text, then select normal.
    * Send your plain text message, making sure the text is still
highlighted when you send it.

The headers may show the Content-Type line similar to:

        Mime-Version: 1.0
        Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
        Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
        X-Mailer: 6.0 sub 336

The "Customer Care" folks at AOL also offer the following solution: Use AOL
Mail on the Web to send mail to Internet addresses that don't allow
formatting - AOL Mail on the Web sends mail as plain text only.

NOTE: To use AOL Mail on the Web you will need to signoff AOL.

The Unofficial AOL E-mail FAQ recommends that an AOL 6.0 user can turn off
the HTML using the following steps:

    * Change global e-mail preferences (needs to be done only once):
          o Go to Keyword: Preferences (or choose Preferences from the
Settings menu on the AOL 6.0 toolbar).
          o Click on Font, Text, & Graphics Preferences .
          o Click on the Reset button at the bottom of the resulting
window. Do not make any changes in the Font Preferences area of the window.
          o Click on the Save button.
    * Change a specific e-mail to plain text (must be done for every e-mail):
          o Compose and address the e-mail as desired.
          o Choose Select All from the Edit menu to highlight the entire
message.
          o With the mouse arrow somewhere over the highlighted text, click
the Right mouse button, revealing a contextual menu.
          o Choose Normal from the Text menu.
          o Taking care not to make any further changes to the message,
send it.

Note that changing the text to normal will eliminate the "blue bar" quoted
text indicator, but will not remove some HTML elements of the quoted text.
The entire quoted section must be deleted (or simply not quoted in the
first place), followed by the re-entry of the text and manually quoted,
prior to changing the text to normal. Changing the text to normal will also
eliminate any styled text that would have been seen by AOL recipients of
the message, which cannot be re-added. Testing also suggests that messages
with hyperlinks cannot be converted to normal text, requiring the prior
removal of the link.
AOL 7.0

If you upgrade from AOL 6.0 to AOL 7.0 and up have customized your
fonts/colors, the changes carry over during the upgrade and so you still
need to go into Settings and switch back to the defaults as described above
for AOL 6.0

To turn off HTML, use the following steps:

    * Change global e-mail preferences (needs to be done only once):
          o Go to Keyword: Preferences (or choose Preferences from the
Settings menu on the AOL 7.0 toolbar).
          o Click on Font, Text, & Graphics Preferences .
          o Click on the Reset button at the bottom of the resulting
window. Do not make any changes in the Font Preferences area of the window.
          o Click on the Save button.

WARNING: Any attempt to change the font face, size, style, or color within
the body of an e-mail message will change the message format to HTML, as
will any attempt to use a different default font face, size, style, or color.

Lastly, you must remove your e-mail signature if it contains any styled
text, as that will also change the message format back to HTML.

Like AOL 6, AOL 7 will use HTML when quoting a message (displaying the
quoted portion with a blue line in the left margin). And like AOL 6,
choosing Text - Normal will eliminate any indication that the text was
quoted. However, unlike AOL 6, the message will now be sent in plain text.
However, the quoted portion will need to be manually quoted.

AOL 8.0

This version appears to be incapable of sending plain text e-mail.
AOL 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 Alternate

Simply install the 'safe' version of AOL, version 5.0, on your computer and
use it for your plain text mailing lists. Create or use one of your 8
allowed AOL screen names to subscribe to; and to read, send, and reply to
the list's mail. AOL 5.0 will not send HTML or RTF encoded e-mail unless
YOU add it (stationery/background; colored, bold, or italicized text;
insert an image; etc.).

Place one of the ubiquitous free AOL 6.0, 7.0, or 8.0 CDs (available
everywhere!) in your CD-ROM drive, hold down the shift key and close the
tray to stop the autoplay feature. If that doesn't work, close the install
window when it comes up. Then, using "Windows Explorer" or "My Computer",
navigate to the AOL 5.0 folder (resident on all these CDs) and double-click
on the 'setup' program file. Don't let the install program overwrite any
other AOL version if prompted or asked during the AOL 5.0 install.

After the install, whenever you want to send plain text e-mail to any
Internet Mailing list, simply close any later version of AOL, click on the
AOL 5.0 version, sign on with your list-dedicated screen name and send your
own list e-mails without worry of offending others with HTML or RTF encoded
e-mail.

NOTE: An alternative if you are using AOL 6.0, 7.0 or 8.0 is to log on to
AOL and select either Netscape or Internet Explorer as your browser.
WARNING: Do not use AOL's web browser. Start either browser and type
"www.aol.com" in the URL field. Sign on with your ScreenName and Password.
Click on "AOL Mail". You will then be able to submit messages using AOL's
AOL Mail on the Web service.

Starting with Netscape Communicator 6.2 AOL members can read and send AOL
e-mail via the browser. The browser fully supports both HTML and plain text
messages and even allows you to set specific domain names (e.g., mailing
lists) to always send plain text.

-----------------------------

 Mac OS X Mail

MIME and HTML are enabled by the mail program's default rich text format
(RTF) but can easily be turned off on a message-by-message basis. Simply
opening a new message window and then go to the "Format" menu and select
"Make Plain Text".

You can turn off RTF permanently by going to the "Mail Menu" and select
"Preferences" then choose "Composing". At the top of the new window select
"Format: Plain Text". Now all outgoing messages are plain text by default.

NOTE: AOL 10.2.1 for Mac OS X appears incapable of sending plain text e-mail.