Possible interest in short, free NL

[Tom Cavanagh]

[Dave Balderstone]

If you're going to use HTML as the delivery vehicle I seriously recommend posting a web page and then emailing a link, like augusthome.com does.

You'll cut your bandwidth requirement way down, and be able to attract a larger audience, which means an improved ability to attract advertisers.

I think your concept is great, but that you're considering the wrong delivery vehicle.

HTML is for web browsers, not email proggies. Email me a link to a web page, not 500k of HTML and images!

djb

[Dave Hinz]

I agree wholeheartedly. Too many variables in email rendering of HTML; it never looks good, it often gets (rightly) filtered out by spam-bots, and it's really trying to force something to be what it's not.

Agreed. Also, with any web statistics program, it will let you know just how many people are reading how much of what parts of your newsletter, how they got there, where they went, how long they stayed, and so on. No way to measure that client-side.

I'd tend to agree.

On that, I definately agree. Although, Dave, the images would probably be tags to a webserver anyway, so the mail itself should be small.

Dave Hinz

[Greg G]

Or at worst, a PDF - preferably downloadable by a link in the email.

Greg G.

[Charlie Self]

How about:

[Charlie Self]

OK. That is even easier, I think. I can upload the PDF to my web site, maybe, and then link to a para in the email NL, which could then remain about a long paragraph. The fact is, I don't intend any one NL to be large, something on the order of maybe two to three 8-1/2 x 11 pages, including no more than six photos, depending on the complexity of the tip. The tool review should be fairly fast and simple as long as I can hold to doing an individual tool per review.

[Dave Balderstone]

Yes, you're right. In fact, if there's advertising involved, they'd pretty much have to be in order to provide some measurement to the advertiser.

Your point about about web stats is also well taken.

[Dave Hinz]

I've got a webhosting reseller account if you want a domain hosted. It's a coop deal, I make no money on it (to say the least).

Dave

[Dave Balderstone]

I hate PDF as a delivery vehicle. I'd rather pay to get a printed copy, 'cause I end up printing the frigging thing anyway.

djb

[Robert Bonomi]

But _that_ is the 'reference implementation' of virus-spreading e-mails.

Many modern browsers will -not-, when processing HTML mail, open links to an 'external to the message' reference.

Charlie, at a minimum, you need to give people an *option* for HTML mail vs 'plain ASCII'.

And, truthfully, if you want _real _control over the layout, you'd be best off creating a .pdf and sending _that_.

[Dave Hinz]

I didn't know they had managed to build viruses into images yet.

Well, it's not a link, it's a tagged object, but either way, email is the way not to do it for a host of reasons.

Absolutely.

[Greg G]

Actually, I believe Microsoft managed to come up with a JPG algorithm that was susceptible to viri. Leave it to Bill...

Greg G.

[Greg G]

Dave... I believe he already HAS a domain... ;-)

Greg G.

[Leon]

That started happening about 4 years ago. IIRC one of the news shows like

60 minutes did a piece on it.

[Tom Watson]

It sounds like fun, Charlie.

Count me in.

Good luck with it.

Tom Watson - WoodDorker tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)

(website)

[J T]

Wed, Dec 21, 2005, 6:38pm (EST+5) [e-mail] (Charles=A0Self) doth say: I appreciate it.

No prob. The Woodworking Gods say you can even deter your sactifice for a year.

JOAT You'll never get anywhere if you believe what you "hear". What do you "know"?.

- Granny Weatherwax

[Mark & Juanita]

Would think that the fact it was going to become a sacrificw would be plenty deterrent. ;-)

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[Thomas Bunetta]

Sign me up Charlie! Tom

[Gerry Leath]

Sounds great to me! Gerry

[Woody]

Agree wholeheartedly. Put HTML version on your website and text version in email. Even text mail can support some level of ad sponsorship.

You've probably already thought of this as well, but use some robust mailing list software (MailMan, MajorDomo, with instruction added at the bottom of each NL) so subscribers can self-manage their subscription. It won't get you completely away from "Please unsubscribe me" messages, but it will help. BTW, sign me up.

~Mark.