The email newsletter is a new MKDoc feature available as a result of the MKDoc-1.6 user-account framework project.
The aim of the newsletter is to allow visitors to indicate topics of interest – The server will them notify them via email with a short targetted summary of any new documents that match those interests.
This brings enormous benefits, as there is no longer any need to rely on visitors returning just to look for new content, they get everything they need delivered to their inbox automatically first thing in the morning.
Audiences
At the heart of the system is the audience categorisation of documents, this has two stages.
First, the site administrator creates a series of audience categories for the entire site. For instance, the mkdoc.com site has categories such as writers, designers, programmers, press and specifiers.
Secondly, each time a document is created, the author can indicate which (if any) audiences the document is aimed towards – This is achieved with a simple check-list of boxes that can easily be amended later.
This powerful metadata categorisation system is available to MKDoc designers through the Petal TAL templating standard, allowing them to customise documents on a topic-by-topic basis.
Personalisation
MKDoc-1.6 now supports an optional user framework that allows visitors to sign-up for an account on an MKDoc server.
Signing-up uses an email-based confirmation system to prevent abuse, and opens access to a customisable user experience – Visitors can indicate which languages they understand and which topics interest them. MKDoc designers can then use all the power of the TAL templating system to modify the site presentation to suit individual users.
Each visitor can also opt to receive the daily, weekly and/or monthly newsletter summary of all additions to the site that match their interests.
Standards
Just like the rest of MKDoc, the email newsletter meets the highest technical standards; there is no bloated html to fill your inbox, just simple concise flowed-text summaries and hyperlinks to the relevant pages.
Try it out
Currently the MKDoc email newsletter is being used to great effect by the UK government Help is at Hand web resource to keep their users in touch with the latest developments and news in Community Information and Communication Technology (ICT).