I’ve noticed that whenever a Hotmail user replies or forwards a previous message, everything is concatenated so as to give a message without line returns and other formatting features in the PLAINTEXT part of message. The message is then duplicated in HTML. Apparently there is some bug, or non-standard practice in Hotmail (now a.k.a. Windows Live Mail).

I practice and recommend that everyone use plaintext as much as possible, as it lacks certain vulnerabilities that can be slipped into HTML messages, including web beacons (1 pixel pictures that help spammers verify an email address), malicious java code, and other nuisances. Because of these things I turn off the HTML view by default, and only enable it when needed, when I am sure I can trust the sender. (You might notice some of that spam and phishing mail shows up only in HTML.)

If you use Hotmail, please use plain text, so the rest of use don’t get the infamous Hotmail “run on sentences.”

Hotmail users may choose Plain Text thusly:

Per message:
• In the New Message window click Format and choose Plain Text.

By default (recommended):
• To make that permanent, in your Live Mail window go to Tools - Options - Send and activate the Plain text default button.

That will save me from the Hotmail Annoyance, save space in the mailboxes of your correspondents as well as yourself, and encourage safer email practices.

Recently my local library has added a CML Catalog Search plugin “powertool” that allows one to add a search of the library catalog to the search box. In Firefox this installs automatically via a script on the Power Tools page. (It is presently termed a “beta,” and does a basic search, seeming mostly on words in the title.)

Should you want to use this in Konqueror:

Right-click on the icon at left of Konqueror search bar, choose “Select Search Engines,” and add a new search engine. Call it “Columbus Metropolitan Library” (or “CML Catalog” or whatever you’d like), with the following parameters:

• Search URI: http://catalog.columbuslibrary.org/?q=\{@}

• URI shortcut: cml … OR whatever you’d like

Be sure to check the boxes to left of your new item and “Enable Web Shortcuts” at top left.

You should now find a choice to search the Columbus Metropolitan Library Catalog in your search box.

You can also search by entering cml:search_term in the address box.