Determine user's default email client

[Mike]

Is there a way to determine what a user's default email client is? I
read a post from 3 years ago that said no. I guess I'm hoping
something has come along since then.

[Michael Winter]

Re: Determine user's default email client

On 5 Oct 2004 05:08:20 -0700, Mike <the_real_brisc o@yahoo.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
> Is there a way to determine what a user's default email client is? I
> read a post from 3 years ago that said no. I guess I'm hoping something
> has come along since then.[/color]

You might be able to through ActiveX, but as I stay clear of that, I
couldn't say. Irrespective of that, in most cases the answer is still no.
I can't say of what use it would be, anyway.

Mike

--
Michael Winter
Replace ".invalid" with ".uk" to reply by e-mail.

[Andrew Thompson]

Re: Determine user's default email client

On 5 Oct 2004 05:08:20 -0700, Mike wrote:
[color=blue]
> Is there a way to determine what a user's default email client is? I
> read a post from 3 years ago that said no. I guess I'm hoping
> something has come along since then.[/color]

Hi tech stuff.

// requires 'wetware' plug-in, sold separately
window.prompt(" What is your email client?");

--
Andrew Thompson
http://www.PhySci.org/codes/ Web & IT Help
http://www.PhySci.org/ Open-source software suite
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http://www.lensescapes.com/ Images that escape the mundane

[Michael Winter]

Re: Determine user's default email client

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 12:48:12 GMT, Andrew Thompson <SeeMySites@www .invalid>
wrote:
[color=blue]
> On 5 Oct 2004 05:08:20 -0700, Mike wrote:
>[color=green]
>> Is there a way to determine what a user's default email client is? I
>> read a post from 3 years ago that said no. I guess I'm hoping
>> something has come along since then.[/color]
>
> Hi tech stuff.
>
> // requires 'wetware' plug-in, sold separately
> window.prompt(" What is your email client?");[/color]

Sorry to nit-pick, but that's not necessarily the same thing, is it. A
user might say that their mail client is the Hotmail Web interface, yet
their system's configured client is Mozilla. Similarly, a user might use
Opera's built-in M2 client for their mail, but haven't had it override OE
on a Windows installation.

Mike

--
Michael Winter
Replace ".invalid" with ".uk" to reply by e-mail.

[Richard Cornford]

Re: Determine user's default email client

Mike wrote:[color=blue]
> Is there a way to determine what a user's default email client is?[/color]

In an Internet/standard security context the answer is no. (and there
may be no default e-mail client, and if there is the browser may not
know about it).

In a lax security context, running exclusively Windows IE, then you can
probably pull the information from the registry with WSH, and also know
enough about the users to know that their e-mail client will exist and
be properly set-up. Though you would probably also already know which it
was in that context.
[color=blue]
> I read a post from 3 years ago that said no.
> I guess I'm hoping something has come along since then.[/color]

What has come along is ever tighter security (and more user veto) in web
browsers in response to ever more aggressive and abusive web coding.

Richard.

[Andrew Thompson]

Re: Determine user's default email client

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 13:03:45 GMT, Michael Winter wrote:

(A.T.)[color=blue][color=green]
>> // requires 'wetware' plug-in, sold separately
>> window.prompt(" What is your email client?");[/color]
>
> Sorry to nit-pick, but that's not necessarily the same thing, is it. ..[/color]

(rolls eyes dramatically) Never let technical details
get in the way of a good story, Mike!

[ Besides, I hear the wetware plug-in does not have a very high
usage rate amongst your average net surfers in any case. Something
about 'pop-up thoughts' and the possibility of spyware... ]

--
Andrew Thompson
http://www.PhySci.org/codes/ Web & IT Help
http://www.PhySci.org/ Open-source software suite
http://www.1point1C.org/ Science & Technology
http://www.lensescapes.com/ Images that escape the mundane

[Fred Oz]

Re: Determine user's default email client

Michael Winter wrote:
[snip][color=blue]
> Sorry to nit-pick, but that's not necessarily the same thing, is it. A[/color]

I'll go one better, 'wetware' isn't sold (not in my part of the world
anyway), it's conceived ;-)

Fred.

[Michael Winter]

Re: Determine user's default email client

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 13:42:51 GMT, Andrew Thompson <SeeMySites@www .invalid>
wrote:

[snip]
[color=blue]
> (rolls eyes dramatically) Never let technical details
> get in the way of a good story, Mike![/color]

Didn't I say a few days ago that I deserved to be labelled pedantic. :D
[color=blue]
> [ Besides, I hear the wetware plug-in does not have a very high
> usage rate amongst your average net surfers in any case. Something
> about 'pop-up thoughts' and the possibility of spyware... ][/color]

:)

Mike

--
Michael Winter
Replace ".invalid" with ".uk" to reply by e-mail.

[Robert]

Re: Determine user's default email client

In article <b4390dac.04100 50408.405cf9d9@ posting.google. com>,
the_real_brisco @yahoo.com (Mike) wrote:
[color=blue]
> Is there a way to determine what a user's default email client is? I
> read a post from 3 years ago that said no. I guess I'm hoping
> something has come along since then.[/color]

For the internet, it is best to avoid sending email through an email
client.

Instead, use a form to send the data to a server and have the server
send the email. One server program to send email is cgiemail. See:
http://web.mit.edu/wwwdev/cgiemail/user.html I have used cgiemail and
it has a nice capability to generate an autoresponse.

There are also free email servers on the internet.
I quote a post by Mike Winter

However, you can use a third-party form mail service,
such as Bravenet and Response-O-Matic.


Robert

[David Dorward]

Re: Determine user's default email client

Michael Winter wrote:
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>> Is there a way to determine what a user's default email client is?[/color][/color][/color]
[color=blue][color=green]
>> // requires 'wetware' plug-in, sold separately
>> window.prompt(" What is your email client?");[/color]
>
> Sorry to nit-pick, but that's not necessarily the same thing, is it. A
> user might say that their mail client is the Hotmail Web interface, yet
> their system's configured client is Mozilla.[/color]

The question was about the user's default, not the system default :)

--
David Dorward <http://blog.dorward.me .uk/> <http://dorward.me.uk/>
Home is where the ~/.bashrc is

[Andrew DeFaria]

Re: Determine user's default email client

Robert wrote:
[color=blue]
> In article <b4390dac.04100 50408.405cf9d9@ posting.google. com>,
> the_real_brisco @yahoo.com (Mike) wrote:
>[color=green]
>> Is there a way to determine what a user's default email client is? I
>> read a post from 3 years ago that said no. I guess I'm hoping
>> something has come along since then.[/color]
>
> For the internet, it is best to avoid sending email through an email
> client.[/color]

I disagree.
[color=blue]
> Instead, use a form to send the data to a server and have the server
> send the email.[/color]

I hate form based email and prefer to use the full capabilities of my
email client.

--
If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call it Fed UP?

[Robert]

Re: Determine user's default email client

In article <cef8f$41633e82 $c09cfcf$19738@ msgid.meganewss ervers.com>,
Andrew DeFaria <Andrew@DeFaria .com> wrote:
[color=blue]
> Robert wrote:
>[color=green]
> > In article <b4390dac.04100 50408.405cf9d9@ posting.google. com>,
> > the_real_brisco @yahoo.com (Mike) wrote:
> >[color=darkred]
> >> Is there a way to determine what a user's default email client is? I
> >> read a post from 3 years ago that said no. I guess I'm hoping
> >> something has come along since then.[/color]
> >
> > For the internet, it is best to avoid sending email through an email
> > client.[/color]
>
> I disagree.
>[color=green]
> > Instead, use a form to send the data to a server and have the server
> > send the email.[/color]
>
> I hate form based email and prefer to use the full capabilities of my
> email client.[/color]

I think we are talking about different things.

Here the application is to send some form data to someone for
processing. The person doesn't want to invest in a complex server
application. The person just wants to send some form data to someone
email account.

It is tempting just to use the browser email client. The problem is
that the email client doesn't have to be configured.

[Randy Webb]

Re: Determine user's default email client

Andrew DeFaria wrote:
[color=blue]
> Robert wrote:
>[color=green]
>> In article <b4390dac.04100 50408.405cf9d9@ posting.google. com>,
>> the_real_brisco @yahoo.com (Mike) wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>> Is there a way to determine what a user's default email client is? I
>>> read a post from 3 years ago that said no. I guess I'm hoping
>>> something has come along since then.[/color]
>>
>>
>> For the internet, it is best to avoid sending email through an email
>> client.[/color]
>
> I disagree.[/color]

You have that right. Even when its been shown to be solid advice not to
use mailto: on an internet site.
[color=blue][color=green]
>> Instead, use a form to send the data to a server and have the server
>> send the email.[/color]
>
>
> I hate form based email and prefer to use the full capabilities of my
> email client.[/color]

And that is your choice. But given an internet audience, that can not be
reasonably assumed. But to be fair, I will give you a chance to back up
your beliefs. Fair enough?

If you can provide script or HTML that can successfully send an email
(through an email client) in my IE6, I will start endorsing mailto:.
Until then, its a *very very bad idea* for an internet site.

My IE6 SP2 Configuration:

No email client associated.
Email in IE6 SP2 is sent via a Flash App from my ISP.

Now, how do you propose to navigate to my login page, log me in, fill
out that Flash form, then send it?



--
Randy
comp.lang.javas cript FAQ - http://jibbering.com/faq

[Philip Ronan]

Re: Determine user's default email client

On 6/10/04 6:10 pm, Randy Webb wrote:
[color=blue]
> If you can provide script or HTML that can successfully send an email
> (through an email client) in my IE6, I will start endorsing mailto:.
> Until then, its a *very very bad idea* for an internet site.[/color]

Some people (myself included) find web forms more of a hassle than ordinary
mailto links.

When I send an email from my regular email client, it fills in my name and
email address automatically. It checks my spelling. It retains a copy of
every email I send. It attaches my default signature containing my website
URL, phone number and other such information that recipients might find
useful. It also allows me to add other headers such as CC, BCC, Priority.

I can't do any of that with a web form.

But I also realize that some people are unable to use mailto: links
successfully. The obvious answer is to offer both alternatives to your
visitors.

That's my 2p worth, anyhow.

Phil
--
Philip Ronan
phil.ronanzzz@v irgin.net
(Please remove the "z"s if replying by email)

[Michael Winter]

Re: Determine user's default email client

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 19:44:54 +0100, David Dorward <dorward@yahoo. com>
wrote:

[Mike <the_real_brisc o@yahoo.com> wrote:][color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>>> Is there a way to determine what a user's default email client is?[/color][/color][/color]

[snip]
[color=blue]
> The question was about the user's default, not the system default :)[/color]

I suppose you could read it that way, but I'd associate the phrase
"default client" with the client that would be invoked when performing
some kind of mail action. That is, the system default.

Mike

--
Michael Winter
Replace ".invalid" with ".uk" to reply by e-mail.