In article ,
"Clot" wrote:

Strangely, whilst I can see your reply, my original message
has not appeared for me!

This was a not-so-rare occurrence in The Good Old Daystm of the
dial-up BBS (Bulletin Board System) and FidoNet - a virtual predecessor
to the internet we now take for granted.

It was not uncommon for a reply to arrive on a reader's computer BEFORE
the original message.

This is why quoting became a convention and persists to this day.

It was the fact that, during the BBS days, the messages were moved
around the country (and, later, the world) using dial-up LONG DISTANCE
calls - all paid for out of the pocket of the hobbyist BBS "SysOp"
(System Operator).

It was this fact that made EDITING ones quotes imperative and an
absolute requirement. Bandwidth was expensive to the BBS operator who
often provided access to these services for FREE. They paid the monthly
fee for a dedicated, standalone phone line. Some even had multiple
phone lines. In its heyday, MacNet Omaha (1:285/14) had TWO lines. It
was an expensive hobby, indeed, while raising three young daughters.
Mrs. MacWidow was MORE than patient during the seven years it operated.
--

JR