[WEB4LIB] Mailto vs. forms

[Robert L Frasier]

Jerry,

In additon to not relying on the user's e-mail configuration, the information 
submitted in the form may not be mailed at all but be written to a file or 
stored in a database & etc. - you gain flexibilty/ease of handling the data in 
addition to increasing the odds of receiving in the first place.

This is relatively easy to do using open source tools. I just created a form 
for the bi coordinator that permits an instructor to request a session - it 
emails the coordinator, the instructor and archives the information in a small 
database.  

Bob Frasier
Western Illinois University


Quoting Jerry Kuntz <jkuntz at ansernet.rcls.org>:

> I'm noticing more sites now are using email forms on their sites for
> contact information. Is is now "best practice" to eschew mailto links?
> [I'd say so, given the popularity of web-based email services, which
> can't use mailto links.]
> 
> --
> Jerry Kuntz
> Electronic Resources Consultant
> Ramapo Catskill Library System
> jkuntz at rcls.org
> 
> --
>