It lets me test the functions of the
Gammadyne Mailer software I use to publish Snippets; and
It lets others see how the various subscribe/unsubscribe functions work without actually subscribing to an ezine that creates lots of email.
TestZine is not ever really published. If you subscribe, you will get the test issue. If you unsubscribe and resubscribe, you will get that test issue again. And, from time to time, as I test, you'll get that same issue over and over. But there really isn't anything to publish.
ISSN: International Standard Serial Number
The Library of Congress has assigned my TestZine publication the International Standard Serial Number, or ISSN:
ISSN 0000-0000
NB: The Library of Congress has not assigned TestZine an ISSN. But if it had, this is where I would have put the notice.
Because ISPs and Spam Filters sometimes block our ezine, you may need to add us to your Whitelist. If you do not do this, your ISP or Spam Filter may block our emails and you may not receive your subscription issues.
A Whitelist is a list of addresses you do not want your ISP or Spam Filter to block.
When you add addresses to your Whitelist you are telling your ISP or Spam Filter that "no matter what", it should let this address send you mail.
I have created a tool to tell you what addresses to add and how to add them:
Note that sending this email does not subscribe you, or unsubscribe you or trigger the whitelist or spam test. It just tells my system to send you instructions on how to do all these things.
Testing has shown that putting the actual trigger addresses on my web site cause me to get a ton of "requests" that are really spam. The simple way to stop this is to have you request the info this way.
Do you know if you've updated your Whitelist correctly?
Because so many of my subscribers did not know whether their emails were being filtered, I created a spam test tool.
When you use this tool, my system will send you 5 emails:
First, an email to start the test
This email is "plain vanilla" and won't be filtered
Second, three emails ... one for each address the ezine uses
These emails are packed with spam phrases. (How packed? Spam Assassin gives it a score of 110+ and remember, Spam Assassin thinks a 5 is spam!)
Third, an email to end the test
Again, it is "plain vanilla" and won't be filtered
If you get all 5, you know you will receive all the ezine mailings.
But if some of the three middle test emails (with lots of spam trigger phrases) do not go through, you will know you have a mail delivery problem.
The emails will explain in more detail how it works and how to interpret the results.
I recommend running this test whenever you subscribe or change subscribe addresses, and also after you whitelist my addresses to be sure your whitelisting works.
Note that sending this email does not subscribe you, or unsubscribe you or trigger the whitelist or spam test. It just tells my system to send you instructions on how to do all these things.
Testing has shown that putting the actual trigger addresses on my web site cause me to get a ton of "requests" that are really spam. The simple way to stop this is to have you request the info this way.
Subscribe to TestZine: Like it says, go here to subscribe.
NB: This subscription is fully functional, but there isn't really a newsletter. TestZine lets me test my system. It also lets the curious subscribe, unsubscribe and get a sample issue without really signing up for anything. ««»»
Unsubscribe from TestZine: I'd hate to lose you, but if you need to unsubscribe, this page will take care of that.
NB: This is where you go to unsubscribe. Of course, there isn't really a newsletter. TestZine lets me test my system. It also lets the curious subscribe, unsubscribe and get a sample issue without really signing up for anything. ««»»
Previous Issues of TestZine: This page links to the archive of TestZine issues.
NB: This newsletter is just for testing. There isn't really a newsletter. TestZine lets me test my system. It also lets the curious subscribe, unsubscribe and get a sample issue without really signing up for anything. ««»»
History of Changes to TestZine: Describes the history of TestZine, with emphasis on the technical changes I've made since starting it, including moving to
Gammadyne, adding double-opt-in and complying with CAN-SPAM.
NB: This subscription is fully functional, but there isn't really a newsletter. TestZine lets me test my system. It also lets the curious subscribe, unsubscribe and get a sample issue without really signing up for anything. ««»»
TestZine Privacy Policy: The short version of my privacy policy for my TestZine ezine. It explains that I do not spam. Period. And, I do not sell, lend or release your subscription
information to anyone for any reason.
NB: Even though there isn't really a newsletter, there really is a privacy policy. TestZine exists to let me test my system. It also lets the curious subscribe, unsubscribe and get a sample issue without really signing up for anything. ««»»
Best Practices of Email, Ezine and List Management: The organization known as MAPS (Mail Abuse Prevention System) once published a list it called "Basic Mailing List Management
Principles for Preventing Abuse". I used this list as the starting point to create my own "Best Practices" which I follow in managing my lists. ««»»
List Email Headers: An explanation of the RFC standard headers which should be used on emails for lists and ezines. Also identifies the supplementary user-defined fields I use on my ezines, as well as RFC standard email addresses ezine publishers should implement. ««»»
Gammadyne Mailer:
I use the Gammadyne Mailer for all my ezines. This page provides more information about that use, including summary information about the data I keep, the functions I've custom programmed and how to access my TestZine if you want to try it out. ««»»
CAN-SPAM Is Stupid: A personal rant about the U. S. federal law known as known as CAN-SPAM. While it is supposedly designed to help eliminate email spam, I think the law is stupid. The article also provides links to CAN-SPAM resources. ««»»
I began using the Gammadyne Mailer in late 2002. It is possible to use it very simply, almost out of the box. But it also features a very complete internal programming language to let you do just about anything you want. And, it keeps all the information on my PC in an Access database, where I know the information is secure and under my control.
It is screaming software. I strongly recommend Gammadyne Mailer.
PS: You can test drive my implementation of the Gammadyne Mailer just to see how it works. I created a TestZine to let me test my programming. You can test it too. Subscribe and receive a "sample issue". You can even try out some of the tests I perform, like subscribing twice in a row, or subscribing when I'm already subscribed or unsubscribing when I'm not subscribed, just to see how it handles these "special conditions". Just go to my TestZine page.
Disclosure: I participate in the Gammadyne affiliate program. Click here to link without crediting my referral account.
Subscribe to TestZine
