[geeklog-users] Sync Mailing List / Usenet with Forums

[Ed]

I think this would be a tremendously helpful plugin, as in most online
communities it's very hard to get everyone using the same client app.
Some like mail client and some like web client.

(As an example: I'm overseas on a dialup right now, and haven't been to a
forum in 10 days, but emailing like crazy, so the GL-users list is my only
contact point right now.)

 : Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2003 10:49:46 -0600 (CST)
 : From: herzog at uhhh.org
 : Has anyone seen the "newssync" plugin for phpBB?  This is how I currently
 : sync my mailing lists with phpBB forums (as well as my favorite
 : newsgroups).  Mailman has the functionality to sync with newsgroups and I


I've written up some very light specs, perhaps you can help me flesh it out
and we'll start doing some development on it.

GOALS:
Provide GL admins an interface to manage mailing list and usenet newsgroups,
and mirror content into selected forums.

- Mailing List Manager / Archiver
  Provide interface for managing mailing lists for GL members
  This already exists as a plug-ing (not sure how well developed) and should
be integrated into Mailing List Mirror below

- Mailing List Mirror
  Capture and mirror mail from any GL mailing list or any POP mail account
into one specific Geeklog forum
  Allow for bi-directional option to send forum content back to POP mail
account

- Newsgroup Mirror
  Capture and archive newsgroup content from any newsgroup



1)  START HERE:
Look at this code, and COMPARE to 2) to determine how to get best result
From: Tony Bibbs <tony at tonybibbs.com>
http://cvs.geeklog.net/chora/cvs.php/email_connector
Read this first:
http://cvs.geeklog.net/chora/co.php/email_connector/INSTALL


2) phpBB FUNCTIONAL CODE
Look at and open the "newssync" plugin for phpBB - this can sync mailings
lists and newsgroups to forums
Determine if can easily add newsgroup functionality to #1 in GL
Allow for interface to add, edit, delete newsgroups based on phpBB
functionality

3) BUILD AS A PLUGIN
Follow GL plugin architecture

4) Integrate with Geeklog Mailing List Feature
See here for Geeklog mailing list feature
I see no presentation layer, or a way to list / search email archives
http://gplugs.sourceforge.net/index.php?topic=Plugins_Mailing&menu=Plugins_M
ailing
If Mailing list is mirrored into a forum, is the forum the only method for
searching the 'web mailing list archive' ?
Or should there be a separate mailing list archive with mail only in it, not
commingled with forum content.
(If end-user wants to find info, who cares if there is more content from
Forum entries, it's a value add, no?)

5) GL GROUP-BASED SECURITY
Ensure ath that Mailing Lists and NewGroup mirrors have:
Admin section to allow list, add, edit, delete, assing Groups Permissions
similar to the NEWS RSS Feeds interface
Member Section to allow subscribe, unsubscrive for mail client, newsgroup
client, only display based on security context - what user belongs to
Member search interface, only disply results based on security context -
what user belongs to


REQUIREMENTS
Email archive in forums Should support mail attachments and make them
visible/downloadable from archive
Security context applies to all list, detail, search results views for
Admins, Group members, Members, Public users
Mail list admin - Trap for duplicate entries
Mail List admin -  Trap for digests subscriptions and issue warning on
convoluted content displays in forumss
Presentation Layer - If GL forum mirror of mail / newsgroup content is not a
viable presentation method, see http://www.amxfiles.com/wixlist/ for fairly
fleshed out example