My next hack...
 

...will be a la HiveMail: a mail system fully integrated into vB. Alas it won't be free but it will be much cheaper than HiveMail (of course some features will be sacrificed). Will use vB's template system, user management, the whole works. :)

edit: the hack will require PHP to be compiled with the --with-imap argument. Please upload this script to your site and run it, and then copy and paste the output here. (It determines if you have the imap extension loaded and tries to load it if you don't.)

You're going to find out there are a lot of people who don't have that on the server. Does HiveMail use that?

Checking for imap library...success! ;)

I don't believe so but theoretically the imap library makes working with mail pretty easy.

Is there a way to have users be able to use it without having imap installed? You might get more registrations doing it that way.

Whichever way HiveMail does it. Either way I intend to use the imap extension, most hosts should have no objections to compiling it in for their clients should they request it, anyway...

Good luck filburt ;) You have a big job on your hands :p

- miSt

cant wait :D if its cheap i,ll but it as im not too sure about hivemail and its abilitys to be skinned at present

HiveMail has a full template system. From what I've seen it appears to be pretty much based on vB concepts; I for one won't buy it for two reasons: (1) it's too expensive for what you seemingly get, and (2) the numerous spelling errors everywhere give it an unprofessional look and therefore make me question other things like security and performance.

(Psst...I'll build you an import script for a free copy of your new mail system, filb. :) )