Send questions using standard file formats

If you make the question artificially difficult to read, it will most likely be ignored and people will prefer to read easy to understand questions so:

Make body text easy to read and cite

• Use plain text instead of HTML (turning off HTML isn't hard).
• Using MIME attachments is usually possible, provided that there is actually content (e.g., an accompanying source code or patch) and not just a template generated by the mail program (e.g., just a copy of the content of the letter).
• Don't send an email where the text is just one line of a sentence but automatically becomes multiple lines with line breaks (this makes it very difficult to reply to parts of it). Imagine that your readers are reading the message on an 80 character wide terminal, it is best to set your line breaks to be less than 80 characters.
• However, don't set a fixed width for specific files (such as log file copies or session logs). The data should be included as is, so that the responder has confidence that they are seeing the same thing you are seeing.

Avoiding strange coding and closed formats

• Do not use the Quoted-Printable MIME encoding to send messages in English forums. This encoding may be necessary for posting non-ASCII languages, but many mail programs do not support it. When they handle line breaks, the =20 symbols scattered throughout the text are ugly and distracting, and may even break the semantic meaning of the content.
• Never, never expect hackers to read documents written in closed formats, like Microsoft Word or Excel files. Most hackers react to this the way you react when someone dumps steaming pig manure on your doorstep. Even if they can handle it, they hate doing it.
• If you're sending e-mail from a Windows computer, turn off Microsoft's stupid Smart Quotes feature (from [Options] > [Calibration] > [AutoCorrect Options], check off the Smart Quotes radio box) so that you don't have spammy characters scattered all over your e-mail.

Don't interfere with content with decoration

• On the forums, do not abuse the emoticons and HTML features (when they are offered). One or two emoticons are usually fine, but fancy colored text tends to make people think you're clueless. Overuse of emoticons, colors and fonts can make you look like a giggling little girl. This is usually not a good idea unless you're just interested in sex and not answers.

If you are using a GUI mail program (such as Microsoft's Outlook or others like it), be aware that their default settings may not always meet these requirements. Most of these programs have a menu-based `View Source' command that you can use to check the messages in the Outgoing folder to make sure that you are sending a plain text file with no strange characters.

It comes down to this: lowering the cost of reading

Formatting is not trivial. Reproducible text, logs that are retained as is, clear line breaks, and open formatting all make it easier for others to quote, test, and respond to your questions. The easier you make the problem to deal with, the more likely others will want to deal with it.