I envision building a site (say, example.com) where users are each granted a mailbox (username@example.com). Now when someone sends an email to username@example.com, it is converted into a node or entity with standardized attributes, then displayed for the user when he logs in to the site.
Does anyone know of any existing modules which anticipate this or similar use case?
I don't know of a Backdrop solution for that yet. This looks like a solution for Drupal 7. Maybe someone can port that or at least take inspiration from it.
I don't know of a Backdrop solution for that yet. This looks like a solution for Drupal 7. Maybe someone can port that or at least take inspiration from it.
I'm not sure how to assign users a working email address (though if you're running your own email server then I imagine some sort of script would do the trick), but as for creating content from emails, I've done that on one of my sites...
The Coffs Rifle Club sends out scores from the weekly shoot to all members. One of the email addresses the scores are sent to is a specific one used by the website. The website would check the email address regularly and create content of type 'Scores' to make them available to the public. You can see the result here: https://www.coffsrifleclub.com/scores
I've copied the custom code I used for this and made a Gist of it in case it helps others. Adjust as needed, and replace anything [LIKE_THIS] appropriately.
Upon further ponderance, I'm thinking perhaps the way to handle this would be to setup a catchall mailbox, then have Backdrop do a scan of that mailbox, sorting out the emails by recipient... this would automatically eliminate spam (unless it's sent to a specific site member).
I'll have to do a bunch of research, I guess...looking into the above referenced D7 module... I suppose I'll end up writing my own module (mostly by R&D'ing existing code—because that's how I roll).
At some point I may need to enlist some help from other more capable coders. So my next question is broad; and I don't expect any specific answers here, but just in general, how does this kind of thing usually pan out?
I think I have great idea that could have significant economic traction here, but I have no investment funding up front. Do open-source coders often work on speculation? And if so, is there a standard kind of framework wherein they are rewarded downstream for their efforts? I would happily pay residuals to contributors who enable my success! Is this kind of thing common? I'm really fishing here, as y'all might gather...
As for D7... it's not on the table, since it's basically a dead horse. D8...no thanks; too much overhead. Backdrop is the obvious answer.
I think I have great idea that could have significant economic traction here, but I have no investment funding up front. Do open-source coders often work on speculation? And if so, is there a standard kind of framework wherein they are rewarded downstream for their efforts? I would happily pay residuals to contributors who enable my success! Is this kind of thing common? I'm really fishing here, as y'all might gather...
I don't know if open source coders often work on speculation, but I am sure that they sometimes do. I might be willing if I had the skills and time and your project was of interest, but I'm not sure that I would be a fit right now.
The problem is that there are lots of people with ideas looking for coders to work on speculation, which makes the limited number of coders willing to do that difficult to find (imho).
I'm not sure how to assign users a working email address (though if you're running your own email server then I imagine some sort of script would do the trick), but as for creating content from emails, I've done that on one of my sites...
The Coffs Rifle Club sends out scores from the weekly shoot to all members. One of the email addresses the scores are sent to is a specific one used by the website. The website would check the email address regularly and create content of type 'Scores' to make them available to the public. You can see the result here: https://www.coffsrifleclub.com/scores
I've copied the custom code I used for this and made a Gist of it in case it helps others. Adjust as needed, and replace anything [LIKE_THIS] appropriately.