NVC.. weird e-mail writers?

I'm not picking on anyone here.. I'm just asking a computer question..

I use a basic ASCII only program to write and read my email.. I subscribe to
a couple of different apache list servers, and on them people seem to
complain about all the quote backs and weird code wasting bandwidth in their
digests, they don't seem to feel the need to read something really long 5
times again...I know about archives, that's what the subject line does (is
for). They feel some writers don't seem to know how to cut, paste and SNIP..
  Being a generous & kind person, I put up with this, I know the offenders
are just sweet old normal helpless social dinks, with something to add.....
    What I want to know... because this list has an above average computer
literate bunch of cats is.....what the heck is this new unreadable code
crap... where I get nothing but total garbage code... is that Foxfire,
Opera, Godzilla, penguin language or what kind of writer/reader program
cranks out that stuff?.. it's bad enough trying to make out things with all
the 20B's between every line, which some program does (that is HTML code for
enter or  '  right?)... enlighten me old wise nerds.. which programs, do
what, to basic 128 character ASCII?... .. do these programs have a switch,
that needs turning off, like a security setting they are using to scramble
the message? (is it that simple?)... sort of like reminding an old fart
who's gone for 20 blocks slow in the left lane with his right blinker
on..... could you please return to normal highway traffic act operational
signaling procedures..... I hope they don't start using those programs at
different air traffic control centers.... Hey I know...lets make up our own
really smart new traffic signs and switch them with the old useless ones
around town and see how it improves things..

inquiring minds want to know, it's Fri.... right?

RR