[pmwiki-users] FAST Data possibilities

[Crisses]

On Sep 20, 2006, at 1:44 PM, The Editor wrote:

> FAST Data can easily create these lists using its logging feature,
> potentially making PmWiki a complete mini-system for managing small
> mailing lists.  Could even make it so members could automatically
> subscribe/unsubscribe themselves.

They would have to ;)

> My question is--
>
> 1)  how robust is PHP for doing something like mailing out emails to a
> list of 100 or 200 emails?  Or more?

It's not a limit for PHP or sendmail et al but if you're sending a CC  
list that big, the ISP is going to be ticked off.  It can classify  
you as a spammer.  If you do this, you must allow opt-out features,  
follow CAN SPAM procedures, et al.  To PHP it's one single mail with  
a cc or bcc list.  To the mail server (SMTP) that has to split it  
into individual emails -- it's a hassle.  So no, it won't bog the  
sending server, but the SMTP server may be, and your mailhost/ISP may  
come down on you.

Unless you're sending 100 individual mails.  that's another issue.

> 2)  Will it bog down the system or anything for other users while that
> script is processing (or can others still do their work
> simultaneously)?
>
> I guess I'm basically wondering if this is a realistic possibility, or
> if it's unrealistic.  The coding part appears to me fairly simple..

The coding IS simple.  Just don't make a spam machine.  there are  
regulations for email compliance.

> And one other general question that follows along would be, is there
> any way to have PmWiki periodically retrieve emails and process them?
> What would that involve?  It would be nice for example to allow
> members to submit PmWiki pages by email.  (I'm thinking forum posts
> here)  Any thoughts?

on Linux/unix there's fetchmail -- if you can add it to the system.   
It can POP3 emails.  Is it reasonable for everyone? Probably not.   
Check if there's a GPL fetchmail-independent POP3 class/code snippet  
somewhere.

We had a recipe to add pages via pop3, but the headache is that not  
everyone can add programs to their server.  Try XMLRPC instead --  
there are some great clients out there for it and some are even  
free.  I use Ecto, and it allows me to easily manage 300+ page sites.  
In short, XMLRPC is a protocol that allows programs to remotely view/ 
update webpages  --usually used for Blog software such as Blogger.  I  
have a list of sites, groups on each site, and pages in each group.   
I double-click on a page, the wiki text is there and ready to edit.   
Proofing pmwiki pages doesn't work in Ecto, so I have to check  
formatting in a browser after uploading the page text.  Still, it  
gives me easy access to all the pages on my site without browser load  
issues, and more.

Best for one-person wikis, but maybe it can do what you're looking  
for as well.

Crisses
-Also an email admin.

>
> Cheers,
> Caveman
>
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