mail function questions for large amouont of emails

[tryingtolearn]

I have been reading the mail() function

and am a bit worried about this note

Note: It is worth noting that the mail() function is not suitable for larger volumes of email in a loop. This function opens and closes an SMTP socket for each email, which is not very efficient.

For the sending of large amounts of email, see the » PEAR::Mail, and » PEAR::Mail_Queue packages.

 

What is considered a larger volumes?

 

I have a list of about 10,000 customers in a file that I need to periodically send mail to.

To me, that sounds like a large volume

 

Is that something that the PEAR::MAIL would be better for?

If so, is there anything I have to check for in order to use it?

Or anything that gives a step by step on setting it up?

Like what do I download

The whole package?

Does it all get uploaded??

 

Thanks for any input

[cooldude832]

does your hosting company offer mailing list?

 

Its a very easy solution and a lot of em can be integrated into php so you can seamlessly add/delete members server side and send mail.

 

You run the risk of being labeled a spammer by the big boys (msn/hotmail/aol) if you send a ton of server side mail and it ends up in spam boxes

 

Mailing list are interpreted as mailing list and are usually not labeled as server wide spam (blacklisted)

[DeanWhitehouse]

I use PHP mailer, i think that is ok for large volumes of emails

[tryingtolearn]

Thanks for the quick response.

 

cooldude832

I will check w/ the hosting if they offer that.

When they offer something like that - are you saying it is configurable (sp?) so I could have people unsubscribe etc...

 

Blade280891

Do you run the risk that cooldude was talking about

Being labled a spammer w/ phpmailer

 

 

[cooldude832]

here is some literature (or wikiature as I call it)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mailing_list

[tryingtolearn]

Thanks for the link.

 

I checked w/ the host

That wont work.

 

The free one doesnt even import a csv file - you have to copy and paste the addresses

The paid one is $30.00 a month.

 

Back to the drawing board.

[cooldude832]

mine is included but its a hand input so I used cURL to input into it and mange it works fairly easily just have to write your own custom cURL to get into your cpanel and adjust mailing list.

[DeanWhitehouse]

When i have mass mailed using PHP mailer, it has never been put in the junk folder or anything similar

 

Here is a test version of it ,if you want to test it out

 

http://djw-webdesign.awardspace.com/Mail%20App/

[cooldude832]

When i have mass mailed using PHP mailer, it has never been put in the junk folder or anything similar

 

Send me a message I will put it in spam.  Let 5000 of my friends do it and you will be blacklisted from aol.

 

The mailing-list have special privileges that get them around spam filters because they are listed as mailing list and the address sort acts like an adminsitrator and allows users to join/leave the group.  It takes probably 10-1000 times more spam markings from a mailing list than a regular mailing address to get blacklisted.