[NCLUG] html form to email cgi advice

[Chad Perrin]

On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 06:56:33PM -0700, Anthony Foiani wrote:
> "Gabriel L. Somlo" <gsomlo at gmail.com> writes:
> 
> > I'm trying to set up a couple of html forms that would generate emails
> > when submitted. Ability to "attach" files (via html type="file" input)
> > would be a huge plus.
> 
> Why not simply publish an email address and have people send emails?
> 
> This passion for re-implementing email clients (poorly, insecurely) on
> web pages is inevitably a bad idea.

Wait . . . seriously?

1. Some people find it inconvenient to have to move from the webpage to
an email client to send feedback.

2. Sometimes, using a web form to automate an initial filter against
unwanted email (by not exposing the email address to the world) is
desirable.

3. Where contact is utterly useless without specific information being
provided, a web form provides a way to require that specific fields be
filled out.

4. If the form of the email can be controlled, received contact messages
can be more easily parsed and handled by automated systems where such is
desirable.

5. When the message is going to an email address that is used for more
than one single purpose, a web form allows control of things like subject
lines to ensure that those messages stand out within the recipient's
inbox.

There are other reasons too, but five seems like a nice round number.

-- 
Chad Perrin [ original content licensed OWL: http://owl.apotheon.org ]