[request] mrd_newsletters - postmaster rewrite ( bounty / specs )

mrdale · 2013-03-12 16:02:59

There’s been some interest in a postmaster rewrite since TXP 4.6ish has helped to break the old mailer workhorse. The codebase is really old, so it’s probably better to consider starting from scratch, salvaging what we like about postmaster and making something new that will take the best from that and add new features.

Mass-mailing is hard, dedicated services get way more maiil past spam filters than pm ever could dream of doing. So I’m going to propose makiing the send part of this modular/extensible to services that have an API. That way people who need specific services can code them, pay someone to code them and add them to the pile.

Note: I’ve left the door open for feature requests. Please be reasonable, ponies are expensive to ship.

Working title: mrd_newsletters

This thread has three goals

Put together a spec and feature set for mrd_newsletters
Get pledges for financial support for the rewrite.
Entice a coder to actually do the work (I have one interested party)

Features

Modular Send Mechanism using service APIs
- Send through other services with APIs via plugins
- Must support mail chimp API
- mrdale wishes for myEmma API
- SMTP send (jens31)
Subscriber Management Area
- Subscribe/unsubscribe has been a bit flaky
- Remaining feature-set is fine with me
- I’ll include your feature here if it’s reasonable
List Management Area
- Feature-set is fine with me
Direct Send Area
- Feature-set is fine with me (The ability to invoke a send to a list through a txp-form allows for sophisticated multi-article newsletters)
Full set of tags for content and existing functions that actually work
Import/Export
- import/export to supported services
- mem_postmaster list backward compatibility
- Remaining Feature-set is fine with me
GPL2 liscense (which is true of every txp plugin, right?)
Near future TXP compatible (dev must really pay attention to keeping this suite upgradeable.)
Your feature (within reason) here.
1. colak: The ability to send to more than one list without sending multiple emails to subscribers who belong to 2 or more lists.

Pledges (US $860 so far)

$200 mrdale (i’ll start it off)
$200 jens31 (must have smtp send)
$100 philwareham (must support mail chimp)
$200 craigdrown
$150 colak (must be backward and forward compatible)
$10 kvnmcwebn

Last edited by colak (2013-03-15 16:27:19)

jens31 · 2013-03-12 16:26:23

another 200USD from my stables.
but i have one coactive feature request: sending via smtp option. (i hope i spelled that correctly. i’m in if smtp, else this makes no sense to me)
some hosts deny the actual postmaster way, in fact they stop the script and block txp, since they think its spamming.

Gocom · 2013-03-12 16:29:41

I can take this under my wing for 5000 USD. Write it, keep it updated, make it good.

mrdale · 2013-03-12 16:39:45

Gocom wrote: I can take this under my wing for 5000 USD. Write it, keep it updated, make it good.

You forgot the decimal point Jukka. ;)

Gocom · 2013-03-12 16:52:08

mrdale wrote:

You forgot the decimal point Jukka. ;)

I do wish :-) To finance a developer to start up a product pays for the time — not what is only present, but the future development time and costs. 5k would give me reasonable amount of time and interest to keep working on the project.

I myself don’t like to ship dead code; code that is never going to be updated. It’s unfair to everyone.

colak · 2013-03-12 17:51:09

Note: I’ve left the door open for feature requests. Please be reasonable, ponies are expensive to ship.

Hi Dale,

It all sounds good and I will pledge once you respond to my feature requests:

The ability to use/import the existing subscriber/lists/info tables created by mem_postmaster.
The plugin to be ‘near future’ compatible. It seems that our devs have some changes in mind regarding the next release.
For the plugin to adhere to the licenses most plugins have. I’ve seen enough software disappear due to their restrictive licenses.

colak · 2013-03-12 17:54:36

colak wrote:

bq. Note: I’ve left the door open for feature requests. Please be reasonable, ponies are expensive to ship.

Hi Dale,

It all sounds good and I will pledge once you respond to my feature requests:

The ability to use/import the existing subscriber/lists/info tables created by mem_postmaster.
The plugin to be ‘near future’ compatible. It seems that our devs have some changes in mind regarding the next release.
For the plugin to adhere to the licenses most plugins have. I’ve seen enough software disappear due to their restrictive licenses.

Lastly

Jukka wrote

I myself don’t like to ship dead code; code that is never going to be updated. It’s unfair to everyone.

I agree 100%. So will you be able to maintain it? It’s a straight question. I do not mean to offend you.

Gocom · 2013-03-12 18:16:52

colak wrote:

I agree 100%. So will you be able to maintain it? It’s a straight question. I do not mean to offend you.

I’ve been around for a long time and I still update my projects actively, yes. I give it the time I’ve been paid for it, like with any other project I have.

Funding buys my development time, my expertise, my judgment. The stuff what I’m good at, and I’m freaking amazing at what I do. I consider the things I do as a form of art. Please, don’t be mistaken funding makes bidders my masters, that would be crazy if it did; you would be paying for a mess, not elegant thought. I’m the brains, I’m the talent. I implement the key features according the list as best fit, following the standards set by Textpattern itself.

As the rest of the upfront funded plugin I have, they stay open source for rest of their live and are developed openly. All projects use git as their version system, and source code is kept easily accessible. Releases are packaged and can be installed easily like any other plugin without any hard configuration.

Last edited by Gocom (2013-03-12 18:22:22)

colak · 2013-03-12 18:19:46

Opps sorry Jukka. That was directed to Dale!
I was just agreeing with you and there is no doubt in my mind that you do stick by and maintain your projects.

> Edit. I might be confused here isn’t he actually taking on this plugin?

Last edited by colak (2013-03-12 18:22:22)

mrdale · 2013-03-12 18:26:32

Gocom wrote: Funding buys my development time, my expertise, my judgment. The stuff what I’m good at, and I’m freaking amazing at what I do. I consider the things I do as a form of art. Please, don’t be mistaken funding makes bidders my masters, that would be crazy if it did; you would be paying for a mess, not elegant thought. I’m the brains, I’m the talent. I implement the key features according the list as best fit, following the standards set by Textpattern itself.

mrdale puts on a cheerleading outfit and a wig with pig tails…

Seriously tho… no offense intended, we know you and the current set of devs are all kinds of badass. exhibit A: Textpattern feels like fun again. Which is why I’m even considering the project, and also why this thing is in an exploratory phase, to see whether we collectively can foot the bill or pursue other options.

Gocom · 2013-03-12 18:29:15

Yiannis, who? This thread is gathering funding and ideas for the plugin, which then are collected and used to pay the developer. I’m expressing my interest to develop the plugin if there is upfront funding. After all, you need someone talented to make the plugin.

philwareham · 2013-03-12 21:16:18

I’ll put in $100 if Jukka does it and there’s some MailChimp integration. So you’ve now got 10% of the funding needed.

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#1 2013-03-12 16:02:59