[RFC] Unsubscribe without logging in

[DavidIQ]

Checkboxes might be better unless you mean a set of yes/no radio buttons.

[imkingdavid]

Checkboxes might be better unless you mean a set of yes/no radio buttons.

The idea is:

1) User views email and clicks unsubscribe link in email
2) User arrives at page with the following radio button options:

• Unsubscribe from Topic/Forum Title
• Unsubscribe from all topics and forums
• Cease all board communications

3) User selects one of the above (why check boxes can't work) and clicks submit
4) User is unsubscribed from selected item(s).

EDIT: So basically, each item includes the previous. If you unsubscribe from all topics/forums, you don't have to set it to unsubscribe from the selected topic/forum as well, as it is done automatically. If you set it to cease all communication, you don't have to choose either of the previous options.

[DavidIQ]

That sounds better than what I had in mind.

[ecwpa]

What about suscribing without logging?

[canonknipser]

What about suscribing without logging?

How do you identify the user who wants to subscribe a topic or forum while he is not logged in?

[Danielx64]

What about suscribing without logging?

How do you identify the user who wants to subscribe a topic or forum while he is not logged in?

On one forum I am on, I get an email when a new topic get posted.

Here a copy of that email:

*Daniel,

zuv has just posted a new topic entitled "<removed>" in forum "<removed>".

----------------------------------------------------------------------
<removed>
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The topic can be found here:
http://www.<removed>.com/index.php?showtopic=49828

Please note that if you wish to get email notification of any replies to this topic, you will have to click on the
"Track this Topic" link shown on the topic page, or by visiting the link below:
http://www.<removed>.com/index.php?act=Track&f=9&t=49828


Unsubscribing:
--------------

You can unsubscribe at any time by logging into your control panel and clicking on the "View Subscriptions" link.
If you are not subscribed to any forums and wish to stop receiving notification, uncheck the setting
"Send me any updates sent by the board administrator" found in 'My Controls' under 'Email Settings'.

Regards,

<removed>.
http://www.<removed>.com/index.php

So maybe we can do something like that? I've put in <removed> because this email links to a topic that is not for the general public.

[ecwpa]

Maybe a different template for emails for non-registered users that still want to be reminded what's going on on the forum. An option that let admins edit such template would be great too.

[naderman]

If you want something other than unsubscribing, please start a new discussion topic. This topic is about unsubscribing via email links.

[Oleg]

On one hand I don't like the idea of using the same unsubscription key indefinitely. I like the approach of a user going to the forum, requesting they be unsubscribed, receiving another email with a fresh unique key and following a link/pasting the key to be unsubscribed.

On the other hand this is a lot of extra work for the user. I also totally don't like receiving more mail when I am trying to not receive any more mail. From the user's perspective there is no reason why they cannot be unsubscribed using a link they got in the original email. Which we can totally do, even with unique keys, but this will burn database space.

Not sure which way we should go.

Another consideration is whether forwarding a notification email will allow others to unsubscribe the user. If we include unsubscription key in notification email, regardless of how fresh the key is, if the user forwards the entire email they expose themselves to being unsubscribed against their will. I wonder how other software handles this.

A possible solution:

1. Include unsubscribe key in an email, allowing user to unsubscribe themselves without having to receive more mail.

2. Upon a successful unsubscription, send the user an email notifying them that they have been unsubscribed and from what (topic/all topics/all email). If the user did not unsubscribe (someone else unsubscribed them), they would know something went wrong. If they did unsubscribe hopefully they would not mind receiving a confirmation which they can just delete without reading.

[imkingdavid]

On one hand I don't like the idea of using the same unsubscription key indefinitely. I like the approach of a user going to the forum, requesting they be unsubscribed, receiving another email with a fresh unique key and following a link/pasting the key to be unsubscribed.

On the other hand this is a lot of extra work for the user. I also totally don't like receiving more mail when I am trying to not receive any more mail. From the user's perspective there is no reason why they cannot be unsubscribed using a link they got in the original email. Which we can totally do, even with unique keys, but this will burn database space.

Not sure which way we should go.

Another consideration is whether forwarding a notification email will allow others to unsubscribe the user. If we include unsubscription key in notification email, regardless of how fresh the key is, if the user forwards the entire email they expose themselves to being unsubscribed against their will. I wonder how other software handles this.

A possible solution:

1. Include unsubscribe key in an email, allowing user to unsubscribe themselves without having to receive more mail.

2. Upon a successful unsubscription, send the user an email notifying them that they have been unsubscribed and from what (topic/all topics/all email). If the user did not unsubscribe (someone else unsubscribed them), they would know something went wrong. If they did unsubscribe hopefully they would not mind receiving a confirmation which they can just delete without reading.

I can add a check to make sure that it is also the correct user asking to be unsubscribed, and if not, abort. As for a follow-up email, I don't think we should send one for every unsubscription. Perhaps only for if they choose to cease all board communication?