-----Original Message----- From: news [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Allan Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:26 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [users] Re: http://www.saveXP.org/ [WAS: Wrong OS or OS Version]
Dave Craven wrote: > I dunno about Canadian, but for US address correction right from USPS, > all you need is the ability to send and receive/parse XML. I've done it > in other languages, but should be quite doable in something cross > platform like perl. You need an account, which is free to set up, and > are limited to 5 addresses at a time. A mailing list of 5 addresses isn't what I am talking about. DC: That's 5 addresses per request. Doesn't take long to parse a whole spreadsheet full of addresses. No, its not a database full of 100's of thousands, but a suitable solution for small to medium requirements. And the limit of 5 per transaction applies the FREE access to USPS. You get more access if you spend money. The basic means doesn't change (sending and receiving xml). I've done work for mail houses too. Mail houses across the world use software to try to correct addresses in files containing thousands or even millions of addresses at one shot for mailings. At least in the US and in Canada the software is provided by private companies whose correction software has been approved by the Postal Services of the respective country. Usually the same company also provides approved postal sortation software. This allows the mailer to sort the mail just as the post office would sort it, and then drop the mail directly to the post office at a lower rate than would otherwise apply. And the software also works out the cost of the mailing. Generally speaking, for each mailing you must have at least a thousand pieces. (You can also pay as though you had a thousand but mail less, which is sometimes worth while.) The software along with upgrade files for correction and for postal sort mailing approximately on a monthly basis from the post office is expensive enough that even big companies often prefer to have a separate mailing house do address correction and mail sortation for them. (Also the mailing house is likely to have envelope stuffing equipment and printing abilities beyond the company that it services.) Another service supplied is NCOA, which updates mailing lists by changing address of people who have moved and either registered their address change with the post office or registered that they do not wish their new address to be recorded. See http://rescignos.com/NCOA.htm for information on US NCOA. I believe there is no private company yet in Canada or in the US who provides a Linux version of this software. There may not even be a Macintosh version. I could be wrong, of course. I am sure that there will eventually be such software available for Linux systems. Jim Allan --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
