How do I set up automated online scheduled emails?
February 6, 2012 11:22 PM Subscribe
What is a free way to set up an automated and scheduled email reminder system.
I live with four other people and every monday evening we have to put the garbage out on the curb. For the last few weeks, people have been lazy/forgetful, and I've been left to take it out.
I think a great solution would be to set up a system where the five of us rotate this chore every week and get an automatic reminder in our inbox every monday.
Are there any free ways to set something like this up? Importantly, it would have to be done from an online server as there is no guarantee my computer will be on at each scheduled time.
I came across similar questions, and people have recommended exim and cron, but from what I can gather, these are solutions that function from a local machine that needs to be kept on.
If there is a bit of programming involved, I don't mind learning how to write a script, but would appreciate some links to learning resources if this is the case.
For what it's worth, I use gmail.
I live with four other people and every monday evening we have to put the garbage out on the curb. For the last few weeks, people have been lazy/forgetful, and I've been left to take it out.
I think a great solution would be to set up a system where the five of us rotate this chore every week and get an automatic reminder in our inbox every monday.
Are there any free ways to set something like this up? Importantly, it would have to be done from an online server as there is no guarantee my computer will be on at each scheduled time.
I came across similar questions, and people have recommended exim and cron, but from what I can gather, these are solutions that function from a local machine that needs to be kept on.
If there is a bit of programming involved, I don't mind learning how to write a script, but would appreciate some links to learning resources if this is the case.
For what it's worth, I use gmail.
Google Calendar.
posted by brentajones at 11:35 PM on February 6, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by brentajones at 11:35 PM on February 6, 2012 [6 favorites]
Response by poster: thanks for the responses. Can't believe I didn't think to explore google calendar. Will look into that, as well as the other suggestions!
posted by spacediver at 11:54 PM on February 6, 2012
posted by spacediver at 11:54 PM on February 6, 2012
Best answer: Most web-based task systems will send out email reminders, but your problem will be getting them to do it on a rota so it sends the msg to a different person every week. The only easy way to do this would be for everyone to have their own account, and with their own task that recurs every five weeks and sends them a reminder.
Alternatively, writing a small program to send out emails would be very easy if you feel like learning how to write scripts anyway. Here's an example on how to send email in Python. (Just look at the first example on the page, the later ones are for fancier stuff than you need.)
You can host your program for free online using a service like Google App Engine. On GAE you can set up regularly scheduled tasks ("cron jobs") as per these instructions.
Btw, only do this if you like the idea of learning how to do it for its own sake.
I wouldn't count on a tech solution fixing the problem of getting people to put the trash out as agreed. Worth a try maybe, but don't be surprised if you need more of a human relations / managerial solution. For instance, instead of putting the trash out yourself when people forget, you remind the person whose turn it was and have them do it. Or, don't wait til they forget but proactively remind them.
A left-field option that might be worth a try depending on the kind of people you share with is Chore Wars.
posted by philipy at 7:17 AM on February 7, 2012
Alternatively, writing a small program to send out emails would be very easy if you feel like learning how to write scripts anyway. Here's an example on how to send email in Python. (Just look at the first example on the page, the later ones are for fancier stuff than you need.)
You can host your program for free online using a service like Google App Engine. On GAE you can set up regularly scheduled tasks ("cron jobs") as per these instructions.
Btw, only do this if you like the idea of learning how to do it for its own sake.
I wouldn't count on a tech solution fixing the problem of getting people to put the trash out as agreed. Worth a try maybe, but don't be surprised if you need more of a human relations / managerial solution. For instance, instead of putting the trash out yourself when people forget, you remind the person whose turn it was and have them do it. Or, don't wait til they forget but proactively remind them.
A left-field option that might be worth a try depending on the kind of people you share with is Chore Wars.
posted by philipy at 7:17 AM on February 7, 2012
If you do use Python and GAE, the way to send email is documented here.
posted by philipy at 7:26 AM on February 7, 2012
posted by philipy at 7:26 AM on February 7, 2012
Response by poster: thanks for the great information philipy! Unfortunately, this does seem to be the best way to do it. We all have such different schedules and some people are "invisible" for days. Also, the cost of not taking it out to the curb is extreme.
posted by spacediver at 10:07 AM on February 7, 2012
posted by spacediver at 10:07 AM on February 7, 2012
Best answer: To solve the "getting it to the right person" problem, as well as the "what if they're not around" problem just using Google Calendar, I'd just set up a recurring task every five weeks that says something like: "TRASH DAY: [name of person]" — one for each week, with a different name, obviously.
Have the email reminder sent to yourself. Set up a filter that then forwards all mail whose subject begins TRASH DAY to everyone else. Everyone is reminded that it's trash day, everyone knows whose responsibility it is, and if that person is out of the house, someone else can take it out.
posted by brentajones at 10:31 AM on February 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Have the email reminder sent to yourself. Set up a filter that then forwards all mail whose subject begins TRASH DAY to everyone else. Everyone is reminded that it's trash day, everyone knows whose responsibility it is, and if that person is out of the house, someone else can take it out.
posted by brentajones at 10:31 AM on February 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: very cool idea brenta. thanks :)
posted by spacediver at 2:52 PM on February 7, 2012
posted by spacediver at 2:52 PM on February 7, 2012
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posted by nicebookrack at 11:27 PM on February 6, 2012