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Blog to email gateway?

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In talking with my mom a few weeks ago, I realized that readers of my blog know more about what's going on than my family does. Writing individual emails to them isn't going to happen, so I'm looking for a blog to email gateway. It should:

  1. Monitor a specific category in the blog for new posts...
  2. Create a templated email message from each new blog post...
  3. Send that email to a list of recipients...

Anybody know of something that does this??

Comments

  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2004
    I used to use Aggie (http://bitworking.org/Aggie.html) to read all my blogs this way. Since you have per-category feeds, this should work fine.
  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2004
    We're using http://www.messagecast.net/brochure/index.html for http://blogs.dotnetgerman.com

    You can send posts to MSN Alerts, via Mail or to your PDA.
  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2004
    Hi, Eric. I was aware of the same issue - that getting family onto RSS was a lost cause, but that the blog was the best way to keep them up to date. So, I created a "notifyer" for .TEXT. I'm still working on it, but you can check it out in action at http://www.gilbertnet.net. You sign up by clicking "Notify me" in the nav bar, and anytime you post, an e-mail goes out to everyone on the notify list. You can get the binaries and source here: www.gilbertnet.net/ridinghood. It's a couple of versions behind what I'm currently using, but it's functional. I plan on continuing to update it to do more of what you're asking - actually converting the posts themselves into e-mail.
  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2004
    I don't know of anything, but conceptually it looks similar to an RSS aggregator, but with output being delivered to an email address or list thereof rather than an aggregator UI.
    So if I were writing one I'd break down the problem as RSS aggregator back end + mailing list.
    But that just might be intellectual laziness on my part.
  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2004
    I'd do this in two stages.

    First, get whatever RSS aggregator you like set up, so you've got an RSS feed for your blog. If you already have one, you're set.

    Second, Google for "rss email gateway". Not only are there bags of them out there, there's even ones that work in the opposite direction so you can read your email as an RSS feed if that's what turns you on...
  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2004
    Funny...RSS was supposed to eliminate the need for "newsletter-like" emails, but the fact that people won't jump on the RSS bandwagon can hinder that.

    Perhaps Microsoft needs to add RSS support to their next version of Outlook Express and/or Internet Explorer. I wonder if there's anything in mind for Longhorn. Maybe integrate RSS into WinFS.
  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2004
    I developed my web-based RSS aggregator that has a 'daily digest' feature. Users have the option to receive a daily summary of their unread feeds. They can then click on a link in the email to take them to the aggregator link. Check it out at http://www.busternews.com.
  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2004
    >> I wonder if there's anything in mind for Longhorn. <<

    I've heard rumors of an RSS reader on the sidebar. It would certainly make sense.
  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2004
    You already have Post Categories, each having it's own feed. The really easy way would be having your relatives install RSS aggregators and subscribing to the feeds they're interested in.

    If you want them to receive emails from you, an easy workaround would be: You could integrate an aggregator into your Outlook (e.g. NewsGator) and create rules - when you get an item from your own blog, automatically forward it to the following people - and you define the list (it could be a local distribution list).

    It would be great to do it on the server side, but I don't know a tool for that.

    Hope this helps.
  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2004
    Try Message Cast, works for mail and IM. Easy to set up and easy for end user.

    http://www.messagecast.net/brochure/index.html
  • Anonymous
    August 27, 2004
    Newsgator ? http://www.newsgator.com
  • Anonymous
    August 29, 2004
    Why not show them how to add your blog url to their favorites or link bar?

    This might even allow them to get venture to other people's blogs at some point.
  • Anonymous
    August 29, 2004
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    August 30, 2004
    email-to-RSS gateway:
    http://www.mailbucket.org/
  • Anonymous
    August 31, 2004
    http://www.myrssalerts.com Lets users subscribe to RSS feeds, and receive new posts by email.
  • Anonymous
    September 02, 2004
    You can use NewsGator, If your recipients use Outlook. It gets integrated and technically challenged people wont know the difference.
    :)
    r.
  • Anonymous
    September 17, 2004
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    December 18, 2004
    Helpful For MBA Fans.