[Bug-gne]Accessing GNE by e-mail

[Bob Dodd]

All my moaning about Perl and my past lives got me thinking...

One of the bits I was responsible for was a remote management facility
onto our database. It allowed "majordomo" style commands to be sent to
the db (but with me soextra security options...) via SMTP. Not very
efficient, but effective.

A similar system for submissions, and for retrieval from our
classifier(s), could also be a useful mechanism for GNE. 

## it would allow access to GNE where e-mail is available, but web
access is not e.g. from WML/WAP/iMODE browsers, or where GNE is a
proscribed web-site.

## it would allow front-ends to be easily written for any system that
has an e-mail facility (even if you are reduced to "exec"ing "mail
address@hidden < file.txt") without needing to have access to HTTP etc.

## it would make blocking of GNE very difficult for repressive regimes.
Even if they manage to block all e-mail to address@hidden, at least it's
easy for "friends" to forward the mail to GNE :-)

## the obvious extension of this would also accept commands using SMS,
so that any GSM phone would also have access.

As I said, it's not a vey efficient mechanism, but it can be very
effective and provide greater reach and accessibility for GNE. Actually
Jimbo if you're reading this, it wouldn't be such a bad move for
Nupedia either...

/bob  


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