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Diocesan Server Help

Page Design: Publishing Email Addresses

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Benefits of using a web-to-email form, rather than directly publishing an email address online....

  • If an email address is published, the general public will routinely use the address for annoying email, chain letters, etc.
  • If an email address is published via a MAILTO link, it creates a cumbersome experience for a large percentage of the public. MAILTO links will fail or can cause undesired affects if the person surfing the web site...
    • is using a public internet terminal
    • is at a location that prohibits email
    • is using an imcorrectly configured computer
    • has web-based email (ie: Yahoo, Gmail, FastMail)
    • is using a friend's computer.
  • Computer programs called 'harvesters' search the Internet and collect email addresses. The addresses are then sold to junk email companies. Consequently, all published email address will be flooded with SPAM.
  • When a published email address starts receiving large quantities of SPAM, it is possible to change the address. However, that is a major inconvenience to the account holder.
  • Some web designers attempt to avoid the above problems by including the email address within a graphic. However, that is not ADA compliant and consequently acts as a roadblock to persons with disabilities. And, the graphic-based solution does not resolve all issues, such as this next one...
  • Considering the religious nature of web sites published on the diocesan server, there is extra reason for concern. Some people have taken it upon themselves to deliver subjective information on a continuous basis to all persons associated with faith-based institutions. These persons are 'on a mission' to distribute their bizarre documents and will manually view every web page in search of email addresses.
  • Even if you are not worried about the above, it is easy for people to guess the email addressees of your coworkers if your address is public. Thus, you may be inconveniencing your coworkers.
  • All of the above degratate network bandwidth, server storage space, and server processing time.

Ready to create a web-to-email form?


©2005 Diocese of Saint Cloud. All rights reserved.
Last modified December 14, 2006. Created and maintained by DM. This page has been validated as HTML 4.01 Transitional.