Re: post form from email ?

I don't think you can make such a statement without knowing the application or target audience. This may indeed be the best way in this instance.

Or it may not be. Perhaps suggest that a link to a form is included in a separate text MIME attachement for users unable to view HTML in email. But to blanket ban HTML in email seems a little extreme.

Another suggestion might also be to allow user's to set their own email preferences so that they can choose to receive plain text emails if they prefer.

Just my .02

cLive ;-)

Comment on Re: post form from email ?

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Re: post form from email ? by mfisher_jr (Initiate) on May 28, 2004 at 22:28 UTC
As a new person to this area of the web, I am interested in what is the downside of including form data in an email (aside from inability of the user or agent to handle it). Thanks, Marty	[reply]
Re: ^3 post form from email ? by cLive ;-) (Prior) on May 29, 2004 at 05:11 UTC
It all depends on who you're e-mailing. Security concious people (a large slice of people here :), read email as text only, or with HTML rendering disabled. HTML enabled emails often call external images/other resources. These are often used to: log whether an email has been read authenticate an email address in a spammer's database These privacy issues alone will deter many users from having HTML enabled in the first place. By sending users a link to a form rather than the actual form, you can: ensure everybody sees the link in a text message update the form easily - if you sent it to 1000 people and, after the first 20 or so submissions come in, realized you needed to add a field to clarify something, you'd be screwed. If they have a link to the form, you can just quickly amend the form HTML and all is well and good. If you're targetting intranet users, or are sure of your demographic, then send HTML forms by all means. But, if you do, it's considered polite to: at the very least, include a text version of the html (with appropriate link) if possible, allow users to select themselves whether they would prefer to receive HTML or text emails, and only send them the section they requested (HTML or text exclusively). If in doubt, ask a selection of your user base which they'd prefer. cLive ;-)	[reply]