Re: Sending HTML Emails (To Denmark)

[CJM]

David,

Thanks for the reply.

Responses inline:

"David E. Ross" <no****@nowhere.notwrote in message
news:OZ******************************@softcom.net. ..

>>

Because the HTML generators for E-mail often fail to create valid HTML,
different E-mail clients display the results differently. Sometimes,
this causes displays to be totally corrupted.

If you are trying to distribute a newsletter, I suggest you instead
create the newsletter as a Web page. Validate the HTML at
<http://validator.w3.org/>. Then, send an ASCII message to your
subscription list, announcing the newsletter with the link to that page.
If you do this, then all recipients of the announcement message should
be able to view the newsletter properly.

This is a promotional mailshot so image is important. I understand what you
are saying here, however, the powers that be want something above plaintext
for this project.

Note that some spam filters treat HTML-formatted messages as more likely
to be spam. Of course, HTML formatting is not the only criterion; but
when added to certain words in the message text -- words that might be
quite innocent -- HTML formatting might be enough to make a filter
reject your message. Your message might not reach its intended addressee.

Agreed. However, as you can see, the HTML is minimal and our testing so far
indicates that it isn't going to fall foul of most spam filters (e.g.
MessageLabs, SpamAssassin etc).

The issue of HTML-formatted E-mail messages generates endless debate in
this and other newsgroups. See my
<http://www.seamonkey-project.org/ASCII_mail.htmlto read why I'm in
the group that opposes the use of HTML-formatting for E-mail. (One of
my reasons is in the third paragraph of this message.)

Yes, I'm aware of (and sympathetic to) the debate. This is one of the
occasions where I think html emails can have a benefit, however, there is a
proper plaintext version in the multi-part email that we are going to send,
should anyone prefer that version.
Since posting, I've 'fixed' the layout issue by regressing to
tables-for-layout, so that no longer is a problem.

However, the issue regarding character sets/codepages and Danish characters
is still the principle concern. This problem is (obviously) a problem with
both html and plaintext version, so currently it is a show-stopper.

Any thoughts on this issue?

[Sherman Pendley]

"CJM" <cj*****@removeme-yahoo.co.ukwrites:

However, the issue regarding character sets/codepages and Danish
characters is still the principle concern. This problem is (obviously)
a problem with both html and plaintext version, so currently it is a
show-stopper.

Any thoughts on this issue?

You're sending multiple parts, right? I.e. both plain text and HTML? If so,
just add the charset to the content-type.

.... More headers
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="section_boundary"; charset=utf8
.... More headers

--section_boundary
Content-Disposition: inline
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf8

Text contents goes here...
--section_boundary
Content-Disposition: inline
Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf8

HTML goes here
--section_boundary

sherm--

--
My blog: http://shermspace.blogspot.com
Cocoa programming in Perl: http://camelbones.sourceforge.net

[David E. Ross]

On 5/7/2008 4:03 AM, CJM wrote:
--
David Ross
<http://www.rossde.com/>

Have you been using Netscape and now feel abandoned by AOL?
Then use SeaMonkey. Go to <http://www.seamonkey-project.org/>. David,

>
Thanks for the reply.

Responses inline:

"David E. Ross" <no****@nowhere.notwrote in message
news:OZ******************************@softcom.net. ..

>Because the HTML generators for E-mail often fail to create valid HTML,
different E-mail clients display the results differently. Sometimes,
this causes displays to be totally corrupted.

If you are trying to distribute a newsletter, I suggest you instead
create the newsletter as a Web page. Validate the HTML at
<http://validator.w3.org/>. Then, send an ASCII message to your
subscription list, announcing the newsletter with the link to that page.
If you do this, then all recipients of the announcement message should
be able to view the newsletter properly.

This is a promotional mailshot so image is important. I understand what you
are saying here, however, the powers that be want something above plaintext
for this project.

>Note that some spam filters treat HTML-formatted messages as more likely
to be spam. Of course, HTML formatting is not the only criterion; but
when added to certain words in the message text -- words that might be
quite innocent -- HTML formatting might be enough to make a filter
reject your message. Your message might not reach its intended addressee.

Agreed. However, as you can see, the HTML is minimal and our testing so far
indicates that it isn't going to fall foul of most spam filters (e.g.
MessageLabs, SpamAssassin etc).

>The issue of HTML-formatted E-mail messages generates endless debate in
this and other newsgroups. See my
<http://www.seamonkey-project.org/ASCII_mail.htmlto read why I'm in
the group that opposes the use of HTML-formatting for E-mail. (One of
my reasons is in the third paragraph of this message.)

Yes, I'm aware of (and sympathetic to) the debate. This is one of the
occasions where I think html emails can have a benefit, however, there is a
proper plaintext version in the multi-part email that we are going to send,
should anyone prefer that version.
Since posting, I've 'fixed' the layout issue by regressing to
tables-for-layout, so that no longer is a problem.

However, the issue regarding character sets/codepages and Danish characters
is still the principle concern. This problem is (obviously) a problem with
both html and plaintext version, so currently it is a show-stopper.

Any thoughts on this issue?

That's why I suggested a Web page for the newsletter. You can then
specify the language to be Danish ("da" is the code) in the <!DOCTYPE>
declaration. The problem is that many E-mail composers fail to include
a <!DOCTYPEwhen formatting for HTML.

[CJM]

"David E. Ross" <no****@nowhere.notwrote in message
news:-M******************************@softcom.net...

>>

That's why I suggested a Web page for the newsletter. You can then
specify the language to be Danish ("da" is the code) in the <!DOCTYPE>
declaration. The problem is that many E-mail composers fail to include
a <!DOCTYPEwhen formatting for HTML.

David,

It is a promotional email and not a newsletter. The information we want to
convey must be in the email whether it me html or not.

Also, you will see from the listing in my OP, the html includes a DOCTYPE
and the HTML tag include a lang=da attribute. Since I've written the email
software, I can assure that the email contains precisely the html I listed.

Since my OP, if had improved results after I change the codepage to unicode
and the charset to UTF-8, but it still doesn't display correctly in some
email clients.

Chris