mail application

I would like to create a mail application for my church so that they can put
out something a little more interesting than a plain jane email. So what I
would like to do is create a mail application that pulls the names from a
data base and loads them into an html email. I would also like to set it up
so that my users can opt out of html and just get the plain email.

Can anyone advise me on where I might begin to find information on this.
My skills in programming I feel are more than adequate to meet the
challenge, I just haven't had the opportunity to work with PHP at this level
before.

Any books, links or advice would be greatly appreciated
Where might I begin.
NOTE: I am just researching this project right now and don't plan on
building it until may so I have plenty of time to look into anything you can
offer.

Thank You
Kevin Raleigh

* Kevin Raleigh is quoted & my replies are inline below :
> I would like to create a mail application for my church so that
> they can put out something a little more interesting than a
> plain jane email. So what I would like to do is create a mail
> application that pulls the names from a data base and loads
> them into an html email. I would also like to set it up so that
> my users can opt out of html and just get the plain email.

Don't give them the option:
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=html+email+bad

> Can anyone advise me on where I might begin to find information
> on this. My skills in programming I feel are more than
> adequate to meet the challenge, I just haven't had the
> opportunity to work with PHP at this level before.

http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.mail.php
http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.mail.php
http://www.w3schools.com/php/php_mail.asp
http://www.w3schools.com/php/php_secure_mail.asp

> Any books, links or advice would be greatly appreciated Where
> might I begin. NOTE: I am just researching this project right
> now and don't plan on building it until may so I have plenty of
> time to look into anything you can offer.

--
Troy Piggins ,-O (o- O All your sigs are belong to us.
http://piggo.com/~troy O ) //\ O
RLU#415538 `-O V_/_ OOO
hackerkey://v3sw5HPUhw5ln4pr6OSck1ma9u6LwXm5l6Di2e6t5MGSRb8OTe n4g7OPa3Xs7MIr8p7

http://www.googlefight.com/index.php...rd1=html+email
+good&word2=html+email+bad

It is not as simple as that. I've built one newsletter application,
which creates the html-file, and saves it to server. The email sent
consisted of two parts.

1) link to the newsletter
2) email as html

If one couldn't see the html -version, they could easily click to the
site. Another choice would be to add all the contents as text-version
also. HTML -email, when used as newsletter, has many advantages.
Personally I prefer receiving txt-only, but I don not resent html.

One could also argue, that html is bad in web as well. Use text only -
the same information can be delivered. But websites, or email, is not
just about content.

r,
jussi

* Jussist is quoted & my replies are inline below :
> http://www.googlefight.com/index.php...rd1=html+email
> +good&word2=html+email+bad

Lol - never seen that sight before. I like it.

> It is not as simple as that. I've built one newsletter application,
> which creates the html-file, and saves it to server. The email sent
> consisted of two parts.
>
> 1) link to the newsletter
> 2) email as html
>
> If one couldn't see the html -version, they could easily click to the

So if you sent a plain text only with a link to the site, the
recipients could also easily click to the site :)

> site. Another choice would be to add all the contents as text-version

I think that is a must - so that people who use plain text MUAs
can also read the same content.

> also. HTML -email, when used as newsletter, has many advantages.

True - but I've received many poorly formed/worded html only
newsletters that get false-positived in spam filters, as one
example.

> Personally I prefer receiving txt-only, but I don not resent html.
>
> One could also argue, that html is bad in web as well. Use text only -
> the same information can be delivered. But websites, or email, is not
> just about content.

HTML and web pages go hand in hand, no question. Personally I
feel that the bandwidth consumption argument of HTML in emails is
not so relevant these days, so it you must sent HTML, make sure
you include plain text version as well. And if you want your
message to get through spam filters, make sure it is worded
"unspammy" and all the headers etc are correctly formed.
</personal preferences>

I just wanted the OP to be aware of downsides of HTML only
emails.

--
Troy Piggins ,-O (o- O All your sigs are belong to us.
http://piggo.com/~troy O ) //\ O
RLU#415538 `-O V_/_ OOO
hackerkey://v3sw5HPUhw5ln4pr6OSck1ma9u6LwXm5l6Di2e6t5MGSRb8OTe n4g7OPa3Xs7MIr8p7

"Jussist" <jussist@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1170153005.367450.229260@s48g2000cws.googlegr oups.com...
> http://www.googlefight.com/index.php...rd1=html+email
> +good&word2=html+email+bad
>
> It is not as simple as that. I've built one newsletter application,
> which creates the html-file, and saves it to server. The email sent
> consisted of two parts.
>
> 1) link to the newsletter
> 2) email as html
>
> If one couldn't see the html -version, they could easily click to the
> site. Another choice would be to add all the contents as text-version
> also. HTML -email, when used as newsletter, has many advantages.
> Personally I prefer receiving txt-only, but I don not resent html.
>
> One could also argue, that html is bad in web as well. Use text only -
> the same information can be delivered. But websites, or email, is not
> just about content.
>


WTF???? What IS it about then? The technology??? LMGDAO. Methinks you
confuse "content" with "presentation". "Content is King", man.

I agree that heavy-weight email is pure and simply annoying, as are web
pages that contain annoying flash-based advertising or popups, and
superfluously HUGE graphics. But saying that websites aren't just about
content is just rubbish. A case of the tail wagging the dog? Of COURSE it's
about content. A website without information is useless, man. It SHOULD be
about content. Methinks that folks that put the delivery method and
presentation technologies above the actual content are deluding themselves
:)) ... and that users of said "services" are smarter than perhaps u think
:)))

Content is not necessarily measured in bits or bytes. Content *should* be
measured in usefulness of information , IMHO. If HTML-based email can be
demonstrated to be useful, from the recipient's perspective, WTF is wrong
with that? It can be used to enhance the message you are trying to portray,
just as it can in web pages.

As a developer, one should ensure that any enhancements are consistent with,
and complimentary to, the information one is presenting, otherwise you are
"changing the message", and it just ends up like so much more commercial
TV... boring, tedious, and uninforming... think "Letterman" and you get the
idea... Users of the "information" are quick to see through such tactics.

....my 2 cents.