Mailing lists and email limits

[GPG]

If I understand correctly, using mailing list software is the way to avoid getting caught up by the maximum number of email connections per hour. Would it be safe to say that sending out bulk emails to members of my message boards using the bulk mailer option is the same as using mailing software?

The default is set to send 50 emails per minute, so would that mean that every minute there is one connection?

While we're on the subject, what about email notification of PMs or topic replies and so on. If they all count towards our email usage, then it would be very easy to breach 200 per hour when things are busy.

[computergenius]

Originally Posted by GPG

If I understand correctly, using mailing list software is the way to avoid getting caught up by the maximum number of email connections per hour.

I must admit that I haven't seen anything about the max email connections. Where is it? What happens when you reach the limit?

[programmer]

HMM, that is a concern. My forums can be quite busy at times.

I guess for a forum that is too busy you should move it onto a dedicated server

I'm curious about this though.

[GPG]

It's not that busy at the moment, and I'm not sure that changing to a package with more bandwidth (which I don't need at the moment) would alter the number of permissable email connections per hour. The 200 per hour that had been quoted didn't appear to be linked to any package.

I recall people being advised to send out emails via mailing lists, which makes sense. So my query isn't about whether or not I can increase my connections per hour, rather do emails sent out automatically by a bulletin board behave in the same way as ones from a mailing list proper.

[hotdog]

I asked about limits before I signed up, as with a mailing list there is usually a database connection per email ...

Copy and pasted from the gators mouth so to speak ...

User: do you have any limits in the way of hourly database connections, in/out going mail etc
User: if you do, what happens if the limits are exceeded?
jule: you need to upgrade your plan in that case
User: how do the database limits compare per plans?
User: I'm not talking space or bandwidth
User: database query limits
User: hourly usually
jule: you can create unlimited DB
User: I know that, but how many queries an hour can be used
User: 1000, 2000 ... ?
jule: there in no such limit

Couldn't get anymore out of her after that, something about 15 chats at once.
Fair enough the questions could of been a little more explained but since I was talking to tech support figured they knew what they were talking about. I got their final word - there in no such limit and signed up ...

[GPG]

OK, thanks.

[zota]

Support is contradicting this!

HostGator has a 200 email per hour limit. This limit is absolute and they will unplug your site without notice if you exceed it.

This is a messgage they just sent (Feb 10) regarding a website which was completely shut down as a spammer for using their 700 member announcement list:

Hello,

Generally you will get this error when you exceeds the limit of "maximum emails each domain can send out per hour". This limit is set to 200. Please make sure that you are not exceeding this limit.

If you have any more problems or questions please let us know.
Thank you.

Warm Regards,
Christine,
AIM : gatorsupport3
YIM : tech_hostgator
MSN : tech@hostgator.com

[programmer]

Actually, I asked them what would happen if you exceed the limit, and they just said that the e-mails would bounce.

[zota]

Originally Posted by programmer

Actually, I asked them what would happen if you exceed the limit, and they just said that the e-mails would bounce.

You're correct. If you send more than 200 emails, they will bounce.

Unfortunately, HostGator does not tell you this -- the 200 email limit is not in the TOS, nor is it in any official HostGator document I could find. Which means there is no way for a new customer to know that their emails are going to be bounced.

The way I found out about it was when my friend's entire website was shut down by HostGator and replaced with a message announcing that he was a spammer. Apparently most of his 700 person email list was getting bounced by HostGator. No one told him this was happening. At some point HostGator must have decided that all the bouncing email was actually "spam." No one told him this either. No one from HostGator told him when they shut his site down -- one day he just woke up to a public spam accusation where his art gallery's home page used to be. Nice. He was only told about the 200 email limit when he contacted support to ask where the hell his website went. I only found out it when he told me....

I host email lists for several art organizations, and obviously we don't want to suffer his fate. But while struggling to figure out the HostGator email policy, I've gotten literally eight different responses from support and sales. The last response told me I should only send to our email lists at night and that I should notify HostGator before I send it... Does this mean that everyone on my reseller account must individually notify HostGator before they send out every newsletter or event announcement? If I send out a correction to our list during the day, will my domain get shut down?? Who knows!

Unwritten policy and random punishment are NOT a responsible way to run a business. The current "ask around and cross your fingers" email policy is unprofessional, confusing and dangerous to all of my accounts.