[Mapserver-users] plaintext for digest list mail?

[Thorsten Fischer]

That's not really ontopic, but hey, weekend ahead ...

> > I get the mapserver list messages by digest (one per day). It is plain
> > text, but a large amount of the text is HTML formatting strings which
> > makes it difficult to read. Is it possible for the process that
> > creates the digest message to strip out the formatting part of the
> > messages?
> > Since I doubt that can easily be done, I'd like to recommend to users
> > that they submit messages to the list in plain text format only.....

I filter out all html messages, period. They get dumped into the 'people
who don't know how to use their email program' folder (I am open to
discussion here, but please not on the list since it's highly offtopic).
That's not possible with the digest then obviously ...

> Assuming you can install a filter in the digest accumulator it should 
> be easy to write a Perl script using HTML::? class to read the 
> messages and strip the html.

That's a technical approach, but social problems cannot be solved by
technical means. Social problem: People do not understand the
consequences of sending html email. Technical solution: a filter. The
filter is by no means able to get rid of the problem. I actually knew
people who _do not even know_ that they are sending html email.

The proper solution would be to talk to the people (be friendly!) and to
explain the problem to them. The problem that will arise then is that
you will a) be viewed as an annoying person who has to complain all the
time about things they probably do not understand, and b) be a person
with no more time left to do useful things. 

So your fallback will most likely be the filter again - which should be
ok if you know that it's not a solution but only a way to shift the
problem out of your sight. Just make sure your friends and colleagues do
it the right way, and it will come back your way one day (hopefully - I
am getting religious here).


hth & have a nice weekend all,

thorsten