OK... Here goes a series of questions but, first a few statements...

i) I have a list of people in a MySQL database
ii) I would like to send the weekly emails.
iii) Quotes from my hosts SPAM policy..

We reserve the right to decide what *[Host's name]* considers "SPAM"


You are expressly prohibited from sending unsolicited bulk mail messages ("junk mail" or "spam"). This includes, but is not limited to, bulk-mailing of commercial advertising, information announcements, and political tracts. Such material may only be sent to those who have specifically requested it.

iv) My site is politically motivated...
v) I wouldn't call my mailings tracts but, as their policy says... They decide.

Questions

1) I'm under the impression that I should be able to mail information to my user base. But, should it be in good faith that I notify my host to tell them that I will be doing these mailings?

2) How should the mailings be done?.

Should I use a third party solution and send it through their POP3 server?
Should I use a php script to query my MySQL database and send it out like that? (w/ php mail() )
Something else all together?


3) Any real no, no's when writing mass mailing software, in respect to sever load?...

4) Same concept are there any real big no, no's w/ a MySQL database that could cause an uneeded server load (I'm new to MySQL coding)..

5) Anything else yall wanna add??


[ Boy... don't of of yall wish you had a customer that cared so much about your servers :D :D ]

What software are you running on your work station? Have you considered running mailing software via your own work stations SMTP and your Dial up access?
It can often be much faster.

Else... Why not just explain to your host what it is you want to do and if this is acceptable under thier T&C's? Seems a reasonable request.

?

My Workstation at home is Windows 2000 Server...
And on a broadband access...

But, another added point I neglected to mention...

I'm designing this sight for a campaign... I simply design and maintain the backend of it (along w/ hosting it for free..., I gave them a chunk of my webspace and bandwidth on my account and I get course credit for an internship)

So I'm designing this for them to use... My concept in my head was give them a secured page on the site where they could log on type in an email and send it out to such and such list on the server end... Etc...

Essentially simplify their current methods....

Ah... so the first option is definitely a none runner :(

Still you could still try asking the host :)

cubed: ? - scary :cool:

If you get that script done, will you post it or send it to me? I am relatively new to php and mysql and want to do the exact same thing, but don't know how to go about doing it.

To DWood...

I'ev avoided trying to re-invent the wheel by writing a new script and by the recommendation of my host I'm going w/ the free script of MyMail at http://www.codingclick.com/scripts/MyMail/

Maybe next time I'll re-invent something else

Originally posted by Studio64
iii) Quotes from my hosts SPAM policy..

iv) My site is politically motivated...
v) I wouldn't call my mailings tracts but, as their policy says... They decide.
'Political tracts' means that you are are a candidate or you represent a candidate who is running for office and are mailing people asking them to vote for you, *or* are a member of an organization asking people to support and vote for a proposition, etc. It wouldn't include just a political themed newsletter, unless you crossed over those bounds.

Example: http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,50761,00.html