Show HN: CC/Fwd any email with a URL to get an email of extracted main text | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: CC/Fwd any email with a URL to get an email of extracted main text

fetchtext.herokuapp.com

14 pointslambtron12 comments

I decided to try this out. It's now been over 5 minutes, and I'm starting to wonder if it's hand-driven or, with my more cynical hat on, simply a novel way to harvest email addresses.

If the former, fair enough, since it will provide a genuine service while assessing whether or not it's worth coding up properly and creating a business. Classic technique for assessing whether an idea has value.

If the latter, a hat tip for the inventiveness, although I'd be a little disappointed.

We'll see.

I don't think it's hand-driven. I quickly glanced over its source code and it seems to use "unfluff" to extract body content.

I still haven't had a reply ...

Did you make sure to put your own e-mail in the "to" field? The first time I used it, I CC'ed the right address and sent it to somebody but neglected to include my own e-mail.

I forwarded it - given that, where would I be supposed to put my email? The email comes from me - shouldn't the reply be sent to me?

I don't understand what rules they are using for where to send the reply. I'll go have another look.

Edit: Just checked - I think I followed their instructions. There was an incoming email with a link, so I forwarded it to them. Surely that should work. What should I do instead?

Hey Colin, please see my response to the other comment. I went and added more sophisticated error handling so that should fix it. Thanks again for trying it out!

I've forwarded an email to the service and got nothing in reply. What am I doing wrong? What should I have for

  > To:
  > From:
  > CC:
  > Reply-To:

There's obviously something I'm not understanding, and with neither FAQ nor contact email for support, this is extremely frustrating.

Hey Colin, author here. Seems like you expertly found one of the edge cases. I went in and added more sophisticated error handling so hopefully it should work. I'll also add an email for support.

Thanks for trying it out! Mind sharing with me the link you used in the email?

  > Seems like you expertly found one of the edge cases.

Ah. You're not the first people I've done that to. Glad to be of service.

  > I went in and added more sophisticated error handling
  > so hopefully it should work.

Useful.

  > I'll also add an email for support.

Cool - thanks.

  > Mind sharing with me the link you used in the email?

Probably this one:

http://www.solipsys.co.uk/new/ColinsBlog.html?RecentChanges

I'll try it again shortly - currently in the middle of something else.

I never knew ^a ^c ^p was so difficult. So, now I get to share data not only with the recipient, but with a third party too!

Nice work! Looks promising! Can you share how many people are using it?

It's been a few hours since i put this up and the logs show over 20 emails have been sent.

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