[WEB4LIB] RE: Mailto vs. forms

[Jerry Kuntz]

The point about form fillers wanting copies might be mitigated if the form could be programmed to send a confirmation back to the sender, like many online order forms do. This would still rely on their supplying an accurate email address, though.

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: rich at richardwiggins.com
Reply-To: rich at richardwiggins.com
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2001 07:06:39 -0700 (PDT)

>There's no one best practice here...
>
>Forms-only feedback interfaces can be frustrating to the user.  It is nice to be able to direct carbon copies of your note, which is often a complaint if it's on a feedback form, for your own records.  Forms can allow the user to enter his/her own email address, but what if they enter it wrong?
>
>As for choice, that's great for a relatively sophisticated clientele that demands it, but some people in some audiences are going to be confused by the choice, no matter how well you word it.
>
>Back in 1993 I suggested people use forms instead of Mailto because so many people didn't have a mail client configured.  Today, as others point out a lot of people may not have the right mail client configured, or they may use Web-based mail.  So if you offer Mailto ONLY you will lose some feedback (folks may not be persistent enough to copy the Mailto link into an external program).
>
>/rich
>
>
>
>
>
>On Thu, 23 August 2001, George Porter wrote:
>
>> 
>> Before getting too righteous about mailto VS. forms, what, pray tell, is
>> preventing the library from providing both methods of feedback?  The Caltech
>> Library System web team received strong feedback from faculty and some
>> students that they wanted to be able to send email, not be limited to forms.
>> Reasons expressed included:
>> 
>> retaining copies of sent mail
>> ability to cc: or bcc:
>> 
>> What's "easiest" for the library to offer is hardly relevant in any aspect
>> of web design or technology support.  The overriding factors, IMHO, are the
>> needs and desires of your primary clientele.  Unless there are major
>> technological strictures preventing you from offering the communications
>> format(s) of their preference, give THEM the choice.
>> 
>> George S. Porter
>> Sherman Fairchild Library of Engineering & Applied Science
>> Caltech, 1-43
>> Pasadena, CA  91125-4300
>> Telephone (626) 395-3409 Fax (626) 431-2681
>
>_____________________________________________________
>
>Richard Wiggins
>Writing, Speaking, and Consulting on the Internet
>rich at richardwiggins.com  http://richardwiggins.com 
>

--
Jerry Kuntz
Electronic Resources Consultant
Ramapo Catskill Library System
jkuntz at rcls.org

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