mem plugins with 4.5.x

colak · 2013-03-01 13:29:59

I think that it is best to update as there are a lot of security patches. 4.0.8 is just too old and very insecure in today’s standards

dF · 2013-03-01 14:54:23

Just a thought: I could export the newest subscribers list, copy the new newsletter, backup SQL dbase, downgrade dbase and TXP to old version 4.0.8, then import the newest subscribers list and the newsletter in the old TXP version, send the newsletter (should work!) and finally upgrade dbase and the new TXP again.
This lousy workout is a lot of work and has to be done overnight as the site is to be worked on every day.
I hope I have to do this just this time since the next newsletter will be released in only a few months and hope by then manfre’s developing is done. What do you think?

colak · 2013-03-01 15:22:37

Another way which i think that I’ll start using is to keep the latest version of txp and then in a directory (you could call it subscribe or whatever) keep an old 4.4.1 install to collect subscribers and send newsletters. just an idea:)

dF · 2013-03-01 15:40:41

Hmmm. There’s a limit of only one SQL dbase on our server.

dF · 2013-03-04 14:34:46

dF wrote:

I could export the newest subscribers list, copy the new newsletter, backup SQL dbase, downgrade dbase and TXP to old version 4.0.8, then import the newest subscribers list and the newsletter in the old TXP version, send the newsletter (should work!) and finally upgrade dbase and the new TXP 4.5.4 again.

And so I did at 4AM this morning :-(
Worked fine though, all march 2013 newsletters were send successfully and TXP 4.5.4 is up and running again.

Any way we can help or support Michael Manfre developing the mem_postmaster plug-in?

Bloke · 2013-03-04 14:50:04

dF wrote:

Any way we can help or support Michael Manfre developing the mem_postmaster plug-in?

As Manfre himself says, the code is quite scary, being based on something, based on something else, based on a once-clever concept from years ago. It really does need to be brought up to date and rethought for today’s Textpattern. Software wears out and sometimes it needs a rethink to make it good again instead of endless patching.

OT(ish): Perhaps a good starting point is to figure out where the postmaster concept could be improved as that might lend itself to either hacking lumps of it out or re-engineering parts that have seen better days. Or simply using the exercise to figure out what people need in such a plugin, perhaps instead writing a new plugin to hook into a 3rd party mass mailer instead of doing it all in-house.

colak · 2013-03-04 15:51:03

When I first started using newsletters I experimented with phpmail which was (I guess it still is) a powerful software but it lucks support of standards which results in non html valid pages. When postmaster came to the scene I thought that centralizing everything was a good idea… I still do. :) Fewer installs to worry about.

I think that what postmaster offers (including the latest non released version as I understand it) is very good for most people’s needs. The only things I would add are

option to send emails to more than one list at the same time (with subscribers who are in more than one list receiving only one email) – I understand this is the case for the last unreleased version
Option for a subscriber to receive an html or a plain text email to be included in the subscription process
A bug fix. When a subscribe check box is included in the zcr contact form the poster is included in the database regardless if the check box is not ticked.
A 2nd bug fix: Please somebody make this compatible with the latest txp release:)

dF · 2013-03-04 21:17:43

Our non-profit organization sends (6x a year) HTML newsletters to local and some professional national subscribers. Our (2x award winning) graphical HTML newsletter design looks and ‘feels’ amazingly the same in most e-mail programs, on webmail like gmail and on our website. New subscribers are automatically listed. An un-subscribe function automatically places an un-subscribe link in the mail and by clicking subscribers are automatically unlisted. The structure of TXP allows us to compose the newsletter in multiple stages. Before sending there are some basic HTML skills involved to implement some valid HTML e-mail standards though.
It’s worth the trouble, everybody likes our newsletter and our site of course. And so we love TXP.

jstubbs · 2013-03-05 01:40:25

Just wondering why not simply use a dedicated service like MailChimp or Mailjet for this purpose?

mrdale · 2013-03-05 04:00:09

jstubbs wrote:

Just wondering why not simply use a dedicated service like MailChimp or Mailjet for this purpose?

Integration primarily. Being able to send to mailing lists from the write tab, construct online newsletters that also get sent to lists. In fact mail any new peice of site content without needing to visit another service… The drawbacks are deliverability.

I think there’s a “best of both worlds” option too. Tie into a mail service like mailchimp via an API manage lists in textpattern send TXP content from the write tab and take advantage of a service’s deliverability.

tye · 2013-03-05 04:38:09

Or how about a plugin which creates the mailout content (with relevant 3rd party mailing list tags) in textpattern, displays a preview so you know it is ok, outputs the code into a textarea so it can be copied into relevant mailing service…. best of both worlds :)

I’ll just dust off my php handbook and see if I can figure out what a foo and a bar is, then I’ll rustle you one up in a jiffy :)

colak · 2013-03-05 06:10:28

Mailchimp is too expensive for us at $30/month as we only send a top of 6 emails/year.

> Edited to add that I’m also not sure of the legality of transferring our subscribers to a third party service.

Last edited by colak (2013-03-05 06:30:33)

Dragondz · 2013-03-05 07:54:02

Hi

I know that mailjet use an api and have plugins for some CMS (like wordpress) then i assume it s possible to create an integration of their services into txp.

Yiannis
Both mailchimp and mailjet have a free account (for mailjet it 6000 mail/month with a max of 1000 mail for one newsletter).

philwareham · 2013-03-05 07:59:03

MailChimp is great. Use it a lot.

Bloke · 2013-03-05 09:34:48

All good points. Never heard of mailchimp before: another tool to add to the Bat Utility Belt.

I do feel we’re diluting Manfre’s thread though (unless he’s seriously thinking of updating mem_postmaster with all these suggestions) and I feel responsible. Should we split this part of the discussion off somewhere else?

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#16 2013-03-01 13:29:59

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#17 2013-03-01 14:54:23

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#18 2013-03-01 15:22:37

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#19 2013-03-01 15:40:41

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#20 2013-03-04 14:34:46

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#21 2013-03-04 14:50:04

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#22 2013-03-04 15:51:03

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#23 2013-03-04 21:17:43

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#24 2013-03-05 01:40:25

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#25 2013-03-05 04:00:09

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#26 2013-03-05 04:38:09

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#27 2013-03-05 06:10:28

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#28 2013-03-05 07:54:02

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#29 2013-03-05 07:59:03

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#30 2013-03-05 09:34:48

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

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