Inclusion of Full Text in Subscription Emails, etc...

[between3&20chars]

Users can subscribe to phpBB topics and receive emails announcing new messages in subscribed topics.

Many bulletin boards only send one new message before the user must return to the forum. Users, however, may prefer to receive their all updates by email without visiting the forum at all unless they have time to browse the forum for other topics.This is particularly true as people go to smaller and more mobile devices.

Therefore it would be handy to have the full text of new messages include in forum emails and no limit to the number -- or a set number like 20 -- sent before the user must return to the forum or unsubscribe.
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Posting to forums by email is a different question, and I don't know all the implications but a feature which could be worth pursuing, as it would make phpBB boards able to function like LISTSERV. I use LISTSERV and find that email lists have advantages over forums in some regards, so incorporating listserv function would be IMO very popular and a much appreciated addition. (Complete participation in a LISTSERV list can be achieved either by email or web exclusively, or by both in any combination).

[DavidIQ]

I've always wondered about this being possible by default. I agree that it might be a very useful feature when a user is unable to visit the forum on a regular basis. Things like this are currently possible via MODs but I agree it should be a default feature which can be enabled/disabled globally or per user via their UCP.

[between3&20chars]

Yeah. I'm not really interested in using mods. I played with mods some time back and had problems. Sometimes instructions were incomplete or hard to understand, tinkering was necessary and then I found that when the board needed updating, the mods were not always compatible.

That's how I remember it anyhow. I've played with various boards over the last decade and more, so maybe that does not apply here, I concluded that unless something is a straightforward plugin and supported by the same developers as the software -- or a closely affiliated group -- STAY AWAY. Stick with the core features that come with the software.

Maybe others have had different experiences and maybe it is safe to use mods, but for me, once burned, twice shy. I really don't want to find that I am faced with a security upgrade and that I am conflicted because it breaks a mod and I am against a deadline.

I realise that things have immproved a lot in recent years, but it is quite evident to me by the state of the documentation that many of these software projects are challenges and a playground for those who love puzzles and have lots of time, not for the person who simply wants to or has to set up a number of boards that work, without a steep learning curve or the need to hunt all over for basic documentation.

Not complaining, though, phpBB has come a long way since I used it last and I'm liking what I see. That is why I take the time to write. (Thanks to all).

[DavidIQ]

Well by the tme 3.2 rolls around we should be more in line with "plugins" instead of MODs so it wouldn't be a big problem. Also, for the most part, if you install MODs that have been validated you shouldn't be experiencing too many issues, if any at all. But let's just stick to the idea at hand. There would need to be a way to stop the e-mails in the email so an unsubscribe link should be in the e-mail.

[between3&20chars]

Well by the tme 3.2 rolls around we should be more in line with "plugins" instead of MODs so it wouldn't be a big problem.... But let's just stick to the idea at hand. There would need to be a way to stop the e-mails in the email so an unsubscribe link should be in the e-mail.

Yes, there are definitely some things to think through and iron out, but if phpBB could have the best features of a bulletin board AND also LISTSERV, it would be amazing.

I shouldn't think it would be too hard to do, but the devil is always in the details.

[naderman]

How would you handle BBCode?

[between3&20chars]

How would you handle BBCode?

If you are asking me, I don't know where you see the problem if outgoing emails are either plain text or HTML. As for incoming, that is a different matter and either it would have to be parsed and converted on receipt or filtered and simply not permitted in email exchanges. I really don't know about all the various language and symbol problems either, so I have to assume that a good place to start would be plain text, and if people want the pretty version, they would have to visit the board.

I really have no idea of the many ways phpBBs may be used, so there could be issues which are insurmountable for some usages, but if the mailing features are an option, they need not be activated if an administrator can see that there are issues in her specific application of the board.

[DavidIQ]

How would you handle BBCode?

Give the user the option to receive plain text emails or html e-mails. For plain text they would receive the contents of the post with all bbcode stripped out. For html they would get a properly formatted message just as it would look like if they visited the forums.

[MichaelC]

Also this could render the point of being able to delete messages. For e.g. if someone is swearing, it will be removed before many people see it. If it is subscribed to and included in the email then they know the message already.

[Danielx64]

Also this could render the point of being able to delete messages. For e.g. if someone is swearing, it will be removed before many people see it. If it is subscribed to and included in the email then they know the message already.

Well I suppose that just back luck. I think it a problem with every forum software, not just phpbb. I suppose we could put some sort of delay in, but that could could cause other issues.