[RFC] Mass HTML email option in ACP

[Alien_Time]

add a second input area where they enter the plaintext version themselves. The former would result in some ugly emails I'm sure while the later is more work.

This would be the best option for sure.

[Master_Cylinder]

Okay, at the moment, I am using the Mass email HTML mod created by ksar. But the issues with this mod is, (1) Its been abandoned as the mod author havent updated this mod for years (2) It has a few bugs that are unresolved (3) This will definitely will not work for 3.1 unless someone else rewrites this mod. But there are certain aspects of this MOD that I like and I would love to see these ideas included in phpbb.

See? This *IS* a MOD an should be an Extension, even if somebody else has to update it. We shouldn't turn phpBB into newsletter SW.

[Alien_Time]

Plaintext and HTML can be sent together in one message so clients can choose which they'd like to display. This would however require we strip HTML from the email the administrator creates OR add a second input area where they enter the plaintext version themselves. The former would result in some ugly emails I'm sure while the later is more work.

Just wondering, if both text and HTML version is provided, does it send the email based on a setting that a user choses in ucp or does it show the messages based on the device or email client's compatibility?

I read this article here that says that we can use MIME commands in the header that shows the text version for devices that doesn't support HTML and shows HTML for other devices. Does this help: http://webmarketingtoday.com/articles/html-email-multi/

[EXreaction]

Plaintext and HTML can be sent together in one message so clients can choose which they'd like to display. This would however require we strip HTML from the email the administrator creates OR add a second input area where they enter the plaintext version themselves. The former would result in some ugly emails I'm sure while the later is more work.

Just wondering, if both text and HTML version is provided, does it send the email based on a setting that a user choses in ucp or does it show the messages based on the device or email client's compatibility?

It will show based on the email client's preferences. We would not want to add a user preference for HTML/plain text emails, but just send both and let the preferences they use on their email client(s) choose.

If a user is concerned about security from HTML emails they can (should) of course disable displaying HTML emails on their email client.

We are planning on switching to a different mail handler (such as using Swift Mailer) rather than our own custom mailer, which will have this functionality easily accessible. But this wouldn't happen until at least 3.2.

[Master_Cylinder]

If a user is concerned about security from HTML emails they can (should) of course disable displaying HTML emails on their email client.

This supports the FACT that html emails ARE bad or there would be no reason that a user "should" disable displaying html emails. The arguments that claim that's it's NOT a security issue just don't hold water and there are plenty of security articles on the web that agree with me.

Nobody has addressed the fact that sending mass html email "newsletters" should be an Extension (it's already a MOD) instead of in the core. How does mass html email newsletters fit in the phpBB core? If we're going to move away from the phpBB core being about the forums, we might as well add the portal idea and make phpBB an IRC chat client too...

[Alien_Time]

It will show based on the email client's preferences. We would not want to add a user preference for HTML/plain text emails, but just send both and let the preferences they use on their email client(s) choose.

If a user is concerned about security from HTML emails they can (should) of course disable displaying HTML emails on their email client.

We are planning on switching to a different mail handler (such as using Swift Mailer) rather than our own custom mailer, which will have this functionality easily accessible. But this wouldn't happen until at least 3.2.

That sounds great. So is the HTML email Feature might be implemented only after switching to different mail handler in 3.2 or so (or) is this something that can still be added in 3.1 while using phpbb's custom mailer?

[EXreaction]

Sending mass HTML emails could only be done after our mail handler supports HTML, which our current mail system does not. It could with some ugly code changes, but I think we'll probably not want to do that and rather just switch to Swift Mailer.

The argument about security can be considered over, allowing mass emails with HTML in the core code is not making any difference security wise. Administrators have all email addresses from all users registered on their boards and could just install an extension that does this anyways. I really don't care to see the issue continue to be brought up as it has been discussed more than enough already.

[Master_Cylinder]

The argument about security can be considered over, allowing mass emails with HTML in the core code is not making any difference security wise. Administrators have all email addresses from all users registered on their boards and could just install an extension that does this anyways. I really don't care to see the issue continue to be brought up as it has been discussed more than enough already.

OK, fine, if you want to ignore the security issues then what about the core vs Extension debate?

[Kamahl19]

You keep repeating that but you did not answered my post about relevance of your links.. By the way, if you think you know more about security then phpbb developers, you can fork phpBB3.1 and try to develop its more secure version

[Master_Cylinder]

You keep repeating that but you did not answered my post about relevance of your links.. By the way, if you think you know more about security then phpbb developers, you can fork phpBB3.1 and try to develop its more secure version

Do you really think html email security has changed in the last 4-5 years? Suddenly html email is safe now? Why do more clients convert to plain text then? The old articles are still accurate, if you want others, try google.