If you subscribe to dotTech via email, please read this article
March 1, 2013 40
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Hello dotTechies,
Before I begin, let me clarify that if you are subscribed to dotTech’s one-email-per-day newsletter managed by Feedburner (the one where you get one email every day and that email lists all the new articles on dotTech), you don’t need to read this article — it doesn’t apply to you, your daily emails are up and running without issues. This article is for those dotTechies are subscribed to dotTech’s one-email-per-article email notifications.
In the past six months or so, dotTech has had an issue with some of our email subscribers falsely marking the emails we send them as spam. I’ve asked time and time again to please *not* mark dotTech emails as spam just because you don’t like or want the emails; you can simply subscribe, every email includes an unsub link at the end. However, people in general are huge jerks when it comes to their inboxes and refuse to listen.
As you may have noticed, since 2-3 days dotTech has not sent out email notifications for new articles posted on dotTech. This is because more people have falsely marked our email as spam and, as a result, my web host has once again disabled dotTech’s emailing capabilities. I am, of course, working with my web host to get this resolved (again) but I have had enough of this bullshit. Not only is this costing me money (I’m being charged $100+ every time this happens) but it is hurting the website by denying regular and loyal readers notifications.
As such, I have made the hard decision to discontinue dotTech’s one-email-per-article notifications. Going forward, dotTech will no longer send one email out for every new article. If you were (are) subscribed to dotTech’s one-email-per-article notifications, I have automatically moved you to dotTech’s one-email-per-day newsletter (managed by MailChimp). This means you will still get articles notifications from dotTech but instead of one email per article, you will get only one email every day. This one email will list all the new articles posted on dotTech.
I apologize to those people this has inconvenienced but, unfortunately, it only takes a handful of jerks to ruin it for everyone.
-Mr. Pissed-Off-Boss
Why not subscribe to the RSS feed I do and have solve the email marked as spam proble.
[@John] I cannot force everyone to subscribe to RSS — some people prefer email.
Sorry for your troubles. It’s a sad day when a bunch of idiots negatively impacts the majority—especially when they have been given options to manage their email load. Still thoroughly enjoy your articles and information. You’re one of my main “go to” sites for info.
I actually like this format!
It’s fine for me this “one email” a day. It’s even faster to find what would be interesting for me.
Thanks the good work.
@Ashraf..aka…Mr. Pissed-Off-Boss:
Errors can, and do happen.
You never replied to my email to you explaining that when I was finished with my dotTech’s one-email-per-day newsletter I mistakenly hit the report spam button instead of the Delete button.
Immediately realizing this I went to my spam folder and marked it “Not Spam” and disposed of it properly.
Knowing your feelings about this matter I sent you an email through “Contact Us”:
WordPress
Date/Time: Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 12:08 PM est, (yes, I still have it if you want to see it.)
explaining what happened, and apologizing if this error of mine will cause you any problems with feedburner.
Because of all your daily responsibilities with your family, jobs, and dotTech I really didn’t expect a reply, but it would’ve been nice.
If you feel the need to blacklist my email addy, because of my error go right ahead I will understand.
Steve…aka…Anak, A slightly pissed off dotTechie
@Ashraf: Seems to me you’ve provided the Bearfect solution:
1) If someone absolutely, positively has to be notified whenever a new item appears, they have the RSS feed for that;
2) If someone absolutely, positively wants notification via email, they can join the rest of us (and the world) in getting their notification in a once-a-day email; and,
3) freedom of choice is preserved, while saving you time, money, and aggravation.
Sounds Bearfect to me!
What a surprise, getting the email this morning. I stopped receiving your daily emails quite a few months ago but didn’t do anything about it. Just wondered what had happened. I always just deleted after reading if I didn’t want to save them but I never put them in spam. I’m sorry you are having to deal with more costs because of people’s thoughtlessness. I still want to receive emails be it daily, weekly or whatever. I’m not hugely tech savy and learned a lot through them. Have a great day!
I prefer the RSS, myself, so I can keep my work and “news” separate. I really like this site and I really appreciate that it allows an RSS feed. I’m sorry for your troubles however – it’s unfortunate, but understandable.
As I recall, Bill Gates said the spam problem will be solved by ….. hmmmm, 2008.
I am sorry to hear this, Ashraf. I get a lot of spam in my inbox, but dotTech is definitely NOT spam. I feel a little boost whenever I see a dotTech notification show up, as I can be sure that, at the very least, the linked article will be interesting and/or entertaining. Thanks for all you do, and I will be subscribing to the RSS feed.
I look forward to your e-mail every day and always find something I want to click and learn more about. Thanks for the good work!
You are without a doubt, the one mailing I go to first everyday. I usually find something of interest and if not I just simply delete the mail. I’ve been following you since the beginning and hope you continue. It’s a shame that you’re having to deal with this and that it’s become such an ordeal.
Looks like today is your 4 year birthday. According to Domain tools:
Domain Name:DOTTECH.ORG
Created On:02-Mar-2009 06:45:58 UTC
Happy Birthday!
RSS – as many have eluded to; quick, easy, and with the right RSS Feeder is quite easy to manage. And it’s a lot easier than having to manage email – I’m sure you know what I mean.
SPAM – The very first Post “@ John”; if I’m not misunderstanding what he said and I quote, “have solve the email marked as spam proble.” It sounds to me like he is saying that his “dotTech” email was being marked as SPAM by his ISP. One of the reasons I subscribe via RSS.
My ISP is Time Warner Road Runner (there are no other comparable services in my area – if there were I would switch in a heartbeat). They are famous for marking Good mail as SPAM, no matter what I do. And it’s crazy because I can get twenty five emails from the same sender and eighteen of them will wind up in my inbox and seven will be in my SPAM folder. I’ve marked these emails as NOT SPAM, time and time again, and added their email address to my address book, but still some of them wind up in and as SPAM. I have an alternate online eMail that does the same exact thing; they say it’s because I don’t mark enough mail as Good or Not SPAM; horse manure!
And so, it’s quite possible that many dotTechies have not been marking dotTech emails as SPAM, but instead their ISP’s. Yeah, yeah, I know what your thinking and I agree.
But, the obvious solution, other than one email a day, is RSS.
[@Ashraf] I like the one-email-a-day system, especially when I am away for a day or more (I deliberately don’t take a laptop, tablet or smart-phone on holidays/vacations).
However, dotTech.org has developed into a really varied, intersting mixture of news and topics that for me it is top of my list of “must visit daily” sites. I am sure that there are many more like me, who don’t really need even one email a day.
[@jayesstee] “instersting=interesting”
Ah, there seems to be a problem, which may or may not be related to this issue. I subscribed to this entry so I could follow the discussion. But despite there being 10 more responses since I subscribed, there have been no emails to let me know about updates.
Is this also included in this email issue, e.g., no more subscribed updates to articles? If so, can subscriptions be via RSS and I can still get the once daily emails?
BTW, None of dotTech’s emails have ever been marked as spam by my ISP (Fairpoint.net), I’ve checked, so I know I wasn’t contributing to the problem.
I’ve never done RSS stuff. If you sign up, do you get everything, or can you subscribe to only certain categories of articles like we could with the emails?
Oh, wow. I love this format! Never had a problem with the old format, in truth, but this is really more convenient. So while you have my heartfelt sympathies with the idiot-induced stoopid that made it necessary, I am actually quite pleased. Well, okay, I’m a cheap date — a big cat pic now & again & I’m pretty much okay with anything.
[@Ashraf]
I have never used RSS, so have not investigated it yet.
Before I do, I would like to ‘follow up’ on BearPup’s point/question.
What will be happening with emails that we used to get, advising us that a member has posted a response on an article that we are subscribed to ?
Rob
PS I had a problem a while back (not with DotTech), when I was communicating very frequently with someone in the US. He was using Comcast.
Because the emails were frequent and similar, they blocked them. I tried contacting Comcast to fix it and they couldn’t. If you Google you will see they are infamous for doing that.
Is there any possibility that some of our members are using them, and that is contributing to the problem ?
Even if I am wrong, I would like everyone to switch away from Comcast as they should be severely punished for all the heartache they are causing to volumes of people, and they have still not solved it.
Hello, all.
I may be mistaken, but I think the problem is most likely a combination of ignorance & apathy.
*WAAAY* too many “computer users” know next-to-nothing about computers, programs, security, & even ‘email’.
Combine that w/ the ever present & growing “I don’t care” problem, & PRESTO!
Instant “delete as SPAM” response.
Too bad, old bean.
Hey, you ‘could’ have a ‘opt-in’ agreement, where potential recipients MUST READ & AGREE to the ‘terms of service’ agreement.
You know, like you “hav’ta do” w/ software.
At least you could then show/prove that you’re *not* spamming.
Have a GREAT day, neighbors!
I would like everyone to know that I have been in an amiable private conversation with Ashraf and I apologize for subjecting all of you to my rant.
May peace dwell among all dotTechies,
Steve
p.s. I’m not receiving notifications either.
I have analyzed the situation, and come up with a solution.
But I will await until my post gets answered.
(A lot don’t)
@Rob
If you mean in reference to notifications, and comcast.
I’m with verizon fios, and I didn’t get a note about your posting.