[thelist] mailto: long body text

Tyme nopun at bellsouth.net
Tue Aug 14 15:23:30 CDT 2001


Well, I knew that _someone_ would give me the "don't use mailto:" lecture.
Not surprised that it was you...nothing personal. (See inline comments, if
you'd like.)

----- Original Message -----
From: .jeff <jeff at members.evolt.org>
To: <thelist at lists.evolt.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2001 3:46 PM
Subject: RE: [thelist] mailto: long body text


> tyme,
>
> ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
> > From: Tyme
> >
> > Anyone got any ideas here?  I might have better luck
> > with ASPMail or such, but actually prefer to use the
> > mailto: in this case.
> ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
>
> with the dramatic increase of web-based mail users over the past year+,
why
> would anyone lean towards a standard mailto: link -- especially when these
> web-based mail users are generally newer users that may not know how to
> right-click and copy a mailto: link and break it up into its constituent
> parts on the compose page?  no, i'm thinking that if *ever* you feel the
> need to use anything more than just the email address in the mailto: link,
> it's time to use some server-side mail sending functionality.  in fact, if
> your audience is made up of a disproportionate number of newer users, aol
> users, etc. then *all* email contact on the site should go through a
contact

I am perfectly capable of using ASPMail here, as I do with other sites
(actually, not sure if the subject size will be of issue here).  But, if you
must know, I have 3 reasons:

1.  New users (some even "senior" users):
     A.  Often more comfortable with sending messages using their own mail
clients, especially when they might be editing/re-writing a significant
amount of text.  [I know that I would prefer it for this reason.]
...Catering to my specific demographic here.
     B.  Gives user the flexibility to use the cc: or bcc: fields as they
would prefer for this particular use.  Or to add emphasis to the subject
letter.
     C.  Saves me wasting tyme writing an explanation about how to copy and
paste text into a mail message.  (Which I had to do anyone.)

2.  No-charge site.  Needed to put information up quickly.  Did not want to
spend the time to create the email forms and code the ASPMail (especially to
build in the flexibility/functionality that I wanted).  And, form mail
options were not necessarily an option in this instance.

3.  I personally _hate_ form mail options.  I want a damn "sent mail"
message sitting in my desired folder for record and follow-up.  To date, I
have never encountered a form mail where the web developer has configured it
to send a cc: to the Sender.  (Except my own form mail, when I use it.)
Ever tried to print out your completed mail form for record?  Doesn't work.
Doesn't show all of your text.  And, of course, you don't know until you
send the message whether you will be getting a cc: back or not.
...I _rarely_ send email when a form is involved.  And, often, this keeps me
from sending positive feedback to webmasters.

> form by default with mailto: links available as a second option for the
more
> advanced users.

So, basically, you do not know the answer.  :-)    Regardless of the method
that I end up with, I would like to know exactly what the limitations of
mailto: are, if only for curiousity's sake rather than future reference.
That was my question, afterall.

Tyme








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