Package README (CVS ver. 1.1.1.1)

WHAT IS IT

 Plone PostOffice is a mailinglist system and archiver that integrates tightly
 with Plone. It can be a full-fledged mailinglist system, or just a highly
 advanced archiving tool.

 Mailman is, at this moment, one of the most popular mailinglist systems.
 However, there are some serious issues with it (and most other mailinglist
 systems):

 - It's hard to customize. There is no separation between logic and
   presentation, which means you'll have to modify the HTML in the scripts in
   your Mailman installation

 - Mailman is not properly internationalized (at least not until recently)

 - Mailman does not come with a decent archive. pipermail lacks searching
   functionality. I'm not too sure how well it handles attachements or
   content conversion

 - It's difficult to integrate Mailman into other systems (i.e. Plone) or to
   use an alternative authentication source

 - The webinterface is not very intuitive, its mail interface can be a
   disaster sometimes as well (check http://www.jwz.org/doc/mailman.html)

 Integrating a mailingsystem with Plone can solve alot of these issues, and
 add additional functionality:

 - Skinning allows you to completely customize the archive and webinterface,
   and even the messages that are sent out

 - Plone offers great searching facilities, archetypes provides document
   conversions

 - Plone has a well-thought interface focussed on usability and compatibility
   while still looking great

 - Plone has pluggable authentication through acl_users, which allows you to
   integrate with almost any authentication source

 Additional possible features are:

 - Moderation through workflow - you can make your workflow as flexible as you
   wish.

 - Use portal notifications to receive notifications when threads change

 - save your favorite postings/threads in favorites

 - manage your settings through the portal memberdata settings

 The combination of Plone and a mailinglist system actually allows for a
 completely new generation of mailinglist software!

 Sometimes, managing the mailinglists to which you're subscribed can become
 impossible with many high-volume lists. You usually end up directing the
 mailinglists to separate mailboxes, which you seldomly check.

 Another issue with existing mailinglist systems is that, if you find an
 interesting posting through google, you cannot properly respond to the
 message unless you're subscribed to the list and have received the message
 through mail.

 PlonePostOffice will allow you to completely manage your mailinglists through
 the web and, if desired, through your mail client.

 For example, you'll be able to respond to postings through the web (even older
 ones), get notifications when threads change, get an overview of new postings
 since your last login, and more.

WHAT ABOUT (PLONE)MAILBOXER?

 MailBoxer is a great tool, but it doesn't integrate too well with Plone.
 It does not use the plone membership tool, it does not use standard
 CMF content types for storing data, and the mailboxer tool offered by
 PloneMailboxer only allows for one mailinglist.
 It also uses its own catalog in stead of the portal_catalog, making your
 searchresults not system-wide available.

REQUIREMENTS

 - Plone 2.0

 Incoming mail is passed to PlonePostOffice through an external script
 (postMessage.py) - you will need to hook this into your MTA or fetchmail
 yourself. Check doc/USING.txt for more info.

INSTALLATION

  Copy PlonePostOffice into your Products directory and install it with the
  QuickInstaller. Use the plone setup / Add-on product configuration to
  create new lists/archives

WHAT'S THE CURRENT STATUS

 The current status (2004/04/21) is a working prototype that mainly focusses
 on archiving-only (though some mailinglist code is present, it will not be
 developped until 0.0.1 final is finished). As Plone 2.0 is now final, and
 PlonePostOffice won't be ready for a while, the new focus will be Plone 2.0 -
 Plone 1.0.x support will be dropped.

PLANNING

 The goals for 0.0.1 final are:

 - Archiving-only, fully functional handling of incoming mail from lists
   without additional mailinglist functionality. I.e. you can use
   PlonePostOffice as a web mail archiving tool, supporting

   - Plone 2.0 product configuration, archive creation - this should
     make using Plone PostOffice much more user friendly

   - Support for multiple archives

   - Fully threaded archives supporting basic searching

 After 0.0.1, new goals will be:

 - attachement support

 - membership support/management through Plone

 - basic mailinglist functionality

 - simple through-the-web replying

 At this point, it should be possible to have Plone PostOffice run its own
 mailinglist.

 After that the goals will be:

 - attachement support

 - full mailinglist functionality, including digests, subscribe/unsubscribe
   through mail

 - Further plone integration

CONTACT

 Plone PostOffice is a poject by Ivo van der Wijk / Amaze Internet Services.
 You can reach me at "ivo@amaze.nl":mailto:ivo@amaze.nl.

 Plone PostOffice development is managed through sourceforge. You can find the
 project n the Plone Collective at:

    "sourceforge":http://sf.net/projects/collective

    "PPO home":http://vanderwijk.info/Members/ivo/projects/ppo