chris, please give me my voters email addresses

[allthewhile]

please sir! I only want to thank them!

[Lifespring!]

If we can't get their addresses, maybe theFerf could set up an autoresponder that would send a cusomized "Thank you" to voters. :)

[seek3r]

I dont think it would be cool to give out email addresses, but we will look into the possibility of allowing podcasters to send an email to everyone that voted for them in the last month.

[notyourusualbollocks]

Chris would most certainly be breaking several EU privacy laws if he gave out those e-mail addresses. ;)

I'm not sure what the regulations are in the US but I think it's a terrible idea....

MK

[Craig]

I think people are probably paranoid enough about giving their email address for votiing...I agree with MK that it's a terrible idea. I think that the ability to add a personalized message to the confirmation screen after a vote is submitted would be the good. It might also be worthwhile to add two radoi buttons at the bottom of the voting form:

(X) Use my email address ONLY for vote confirmaiton
( ) Let <Podcast Name> I voted for them

(The top one would be selected by default.) These would not only give the option for the voter to establish a line of contact with the podcaster but would also reinforce the fact that their email address is being kept private unless they give permission for it to be shared.

Craig

[PupuStudios]

I think chris should put some time into creating a PHP script that determines the meaning of life, the universe, and everything... and if someone responds with '42', I'm going to punch you in the head.

Chris, do you have time to develop this code?

[Craig]

I think chris should put some time into creating a PHP script that determines the meaning of life, the universe, and everything...
See my sig. :wink:

Craig

[volwrath]

Let him finish MyAlley first!

[FX]

I don't want anyone to "thank" me for anything with an unsolicited email.

I'm sorry, but the first thing that comes to mind are sleezy spammers when I hear of such a thing. I'm sure that is not the case with the members of podcast alley, but it is the first thing that comes to mind. I'm sure that's not an image you want to be associated with.

I already get lots of other "well intentioned", "helpful" email in my spam folder. Thanks a lot, but I don't wish to recieve any more.

You might also want to visit this site:
http://www.spamlaws.com

If you really want to "Just thank" your subscribers, why won't 1 sentence on the top of your web site suffice? "Thanks for voting for me at podcastalley.com" There - you thanked them.

If you want to get the email addresses of your subscribers, why not just ask and the ones that wish to provide you with their email address are free to do so, and the ones that dont want to give out their email addresses can choose not to.

Sorry to come down so aggressively on this issue, but it is one of my pet peeves.

[Patrick]

The Godcast Network is the answer to the meaning of life?

I'd be charging then, Craig!

I think it's a good idea for there to be an option to signup for the podcast's mailing list if the podcast wants that option there. It could be as simple as sending an email to the owner saying "email@domain.com voted for you and wants to be added to your mailing list." This would of course be an option like Craig laid out.

[cdoelle]

From one Chris to another... you have done more than enough. I will thank my listeners/voters in my podcast.

[ianonline]

So you want thank your listeners? How about emailing them your shownotes also? Any listeners who cares about the show will appreciate this, however any email that appears automated with no relevant news will not go down well.

Here's the solution...

Go to Yahoo! Groups, MSN Communities or anythinng like them and set up a mailing list, then people who are really interested can get the information on the show. A thanks for voting isn't necessary, there's an automated confirmation of vote acceptance here on the site anyway which I feel is enough. I believe subscribers to such a mailing list can also hide their email address from the moderator.

[Loretz]

If you want to do a mailing list type function for your listeners, why not just let them sign up on your website? No need to involve other community sites like yahoo groups.

Obviously this doesn't give you emails of who voted for you, but I have a feeling that if they want you to email them back, the'll sign up for the "newsletter" and if not...then you won't hear from them and they won't hear from you.

I do like the shownotes mailing list concept though.

[ianonline]

Few people know how how to set up a mailing list on their website as it involves php/sql which reletively few people know.

Using Yahoo or MSN means subscribers have more control over their subscription, their email address can be hidden, and all newsletters are automatically archived so one need miss any newsletter.

[BSquared]

I agree 100% with FX. As a podcast listener I really don't want to receive emails from anyone based on my voting habits at Podcast Alley. However well intentioned those emails might be.

Firstly, my vote is my small way of saying thankyou to you (the podcaster)for giving me the show and entertaining me. You sending me an email to say thank you for my thank you is just getting silly.

Secondly, I vote because I like the shows I vote for. I do not expect or want anything in return. Really.

Finally, I already assumed you are grateful for the votes, I don't need an email telling me so.

[BSquared]

I agree 100% with FX. As a podcast listener I really don't want to receive emails from anyone based on my voting habits at Podcast Alley. However well intentioned those emails might be.

Firstly, my vote is my small way of saying thankyou to you (the podcaster)for giving me the show and entertaining me. You sending me an email to say thank you for my thank you is just getting silly.

Secondly, I vote because I like the shows I vote for. I do not expect or want anything in return. Really.

Finally, I already assumed you are grateful for the votes, I don't need an email telling me so.