-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 - -------- Original Message -------- From: Dave Barton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Thu 24 Jan 2008 13:32:53 EST
8<-- snip -->8 | | The General Outline Of My proposal: | | * Create an "Contact On-Line Support" (COLS) Page, with a link clearly | displayed on the OOo home page. Maybe the same option on | support.openoffice.org | | * The (COLS) Page could provide the necessary preamble about, "Volunteer | support", "Posts publicly accessible", etc. etc. and have a big fat "OK | Now I Want To Contact On-Line Support" (or something similar) button. | | * Clicking the button would take the visitor to a PHP driven web form, | where they enter all the necessary details (eg. Reply Email Address, | Subject, Message, etc.). Then, as far as reasonably possible, the PHP | script checks the validity of the data in the form fields. | | * The visitor clicks a "Send" button at the end of the form and the PHP | script generates two emails. One to the original poster, confirming the | post, plus any additional guff we want to include. The other to the | list, complete with subject line, cc address, etc. | | * When the above is tested and proven, this list could then be turned | over to the de-facto mailing list standard of non-subscribed = no post. | Although non-subscribed posters could be sent a "bounce" message, | advising them to use the (COLS) Page. | | The form could be further refined to include other options, such as a | drop down list with options to let the visitor choose the type of | question (eg. "General Comments" (ie. Observations about OOo, not | requests for assistance) which sends the post to the "Discuss" list). | | PROS: | | * No more missing subject lines. A reduction in meaningless or | overloaded subject lines. | | * No need to search/filter headers for non-subscribed users. | | * A simple "reply to all" puts the OP and the list in the recipient | address fields. | | * The (COLS) Page should provide the poster with a better/clearer | understanding of who they are contacting and what to expect in response | to their submissions. | | * Reduces spam and the list moderators workload. | | * Improved list archive search outcomes. | | CONS: | | * Some people don't like using web forms. This can be overcome to some | degree, by making the form attractive and easy to use. | | * Non-subscribed newsgroup posters will not be able post directly to the | list, as appears to be the case now. Sorry guys, but this *IS* a mailing | list. Maybe something could be done to accommodate these posters, but as | I see it this would defeat the object of my proposal and return us to | the current situation, albeit on a reduced scale. | | No doubt there are other aspects that I have overlooked, but keep in | mind that this is just a rough proposal. Yep! I now realize there is another aspect I have overlooked. So I will jump in before anyone else slams me down ;). One biggy on the CONS side: * The form can extract information from the user about OS, OOo versions, etc. but if we reply asking for additional info the OP has no easy means of answering back to the list. I think there might be a solution to this, but I am not sure the web site/list maintainers would go for it. Dave -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.7 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFHmAkE7asJm/pW/p8RAuc5AJsGsjPo2pHJ+b8x2hPeyzez6DJX/ACfTMZp u0pN+46B3EZ/XP7FjTkINr4= =q6O+ -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
