Comments on: Dear ISPs http://ascher.ca/blog/2009/11/20/dear-isps/ Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:34:56 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Jasper http://ascher.ca/blog/2009/11/20/dear-isps/comment-page-1/#comment-63161 Jasper Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:26:14 +0000 http://ascher.ca/blog/?p=555#comment-63161 I don't see how ISPs can contribute when their (or their user's) submissions to the ISP database (including comments on the broken format) end up in the review backlog that is steadily building up. Some submissions are pending review for over 4 months now. It makes no sense. It's reminiscent of the experience many users had after they'd been carefully filing well documented bugs and feature requests in bugzilla, the mozillazine forums and MozillaWiki over the span of nearly a decade just to see them go by unaddressed (and probably unnoticed). I don’t see how ISPs can contribute when their (or their user’s) submissions to the ISP database (including comments on the broken format) end up in the review backlog that is steadily building up. Some submissions are pending review for over 4 months now. It makes no sense. It’s reminiscent of the experience many users had after they’d been carefully filing well documented bugs and feature requests in bugzilla, the mozillazine forums and MozillaWiki over the span of nearly a decade just to see them go by unaddressed (and probably unnoticed).

]]> By: Nicolas http://ascher.ca/blog/2009/11/20/dear-isps/comment-page-1/#comment-63131 Nicolas Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:47:14 +0000 http://ascher.ca/blog/?p=555#comment-63131 I think that one thing that could be added to Thunderbird is an autofix issue trying classic alternatives configurations. My sentence is not very clear so let me give me some example: - TB tries to send mail on SMTP port 25 but fails: TB could try on port 587 automatically and inform user that port 587 is working so upon user confirmation, TB could change the setup - No login/password given for SMTP server: TB could try to use IMAP/POP login/password and update configuration if this works better I am sure there are other standard stuff to do with for users that do not understand all the stuff about SMTP/IMAP/POP and that TB could fix automatically for the user... My 2 cents :-) I think that one thing that could be added to Thunderbird is an autofix issue trying classic alternatives configurations. My sentence is not very clear so let me give me some example:

- TB tries to send mail on SMTP port 25 but fails: TB could try on port 587 automatically and inform user that port 587 is working so upon user confirmation, TB could change the setup

- No login/password given for SMTP server: TB could try to use IMAP/POP login/password and update configuration if this works better

I am sure there are other standard stuff to do with for users that do not understand all the stuff about SMTP/IMAP/POP and that TB could fix automatically for the user…

My 2 cents :-)

]]> By: Simon Wilson http://ascher.ca/blog/2009/11/20/dear-isps/comment-page-1/#comment-63129 Simon Wilson Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:54:15 +0000 http://ascher.ca/blog/?p=555#comment-63129 David, let me know if I can help. I'm soon to be out of a job so it looks like I'll have some time! David, let me know if I can help. I’m soon to be out of a job so it looks like I’ll have some time!

]]> By: david http://ascher.ca/blog/2009/11/20/dear-isps/comment-page-1/#comment-63128 david Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:21:29 +0000 http://ascher.ca/blog/?p=555#comment-63128 @Simon: I agree, that's something we need to look at. There are lots of issues there, of course, including the fact that SMTP, POP and IMAP servers don't have very rich or consistent error messages, and that dealing with these issues in 40 languages is really hard. Still, I suspect we should look for opportunities to at least detect common failures, and maybe guide people towards an online troubleshooting guide that we could build (ideally in collaboration with ISPs and l33t users). @Simon: I agree, that’s something we need to look at. There are lots of issues there, of course, including the fact that SMTP, POP and IMAP servers don’t have very rich or consistent error messages, and that dealing with these issues in 40 languages is really hard.

Still, I suspect we should look for opportunities to at least detect common failures, and maybe guide people towards an online troubleshooting guide that we could build (ideally in collaboration with ISPs and l33t users).

]]> By: Simon Wilson http://ascher.ca/blog/2009/11/20/dear-isps/comment-page-1/#comment-63127 Simon Wilson Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:17:44 +0000 http://ascher.ca/blog/?p=555#comment-63127 David: I've worked extensively supporting email customers and ISPs in my career. Started at an ISP, moved to a web hosting company, and then worked for an email server software provider. From the end-user standpoint, the error messages that are thrown are not usually helpful. I have used Thunderbird for a long time and, while it is better than its competitors, it could do a better job with contextual help. Mail delivery failures generate calls for support. Is there a way that delivery errors between T-bird and server can be better explained / finger-pointed in an error dialog? Maybe provide some simple troubleshooting tips? -Simon David:

I’ve worked extensively supporting email customers and ISPs in my career. Started at an ISP, moved to a web hosting company, and then worked for an email server software provider.

From the end-user standpoint, the error messages that are thrown are not usually helpful. I have used Thunderbird for a long time and, while it is better than its competitors, it could do a better job with contextual help.

Mail delivery failures generate calls for support. Is there a way that delivery errors between T-bird and server can be better explained / finger-pointed in an error dialog?

Maybe provide some simple troubleshooting tips?

-Simon

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