New Outlook to block external images from preview window - geek/talk: Signature-free discourse for serious web publishers

**Czar** · 11-14-2002, 08:49 AM

Hey guys,

I see this as a great step forward in combating spam, malicious code and so on, but how do you think the new security features of Outlook 11 will affect legitimate HTML distributions?

Article:
http://news.com.com/2100-1001-964166...g=fd_lede1_hed

Will any of you be concerned about the possible lack of open rate data (I imagine the email-centric ClickZ crowd will be most upset)? Or could this likely improve 'real' open rates and interaction simply by virtue of making consumers less wary of emails; thus improving the likelihood that they will read and respond to newsletters to which they have subscribed?

sdarken · 11-14-2002, 12:39 PM

Seems like a good move to me also. Should have been done some time ago. I hate the idea that viewing email in the preview window is enough spammers to know that they sent their garbage to a legitimate email address.

More than that however, there are few things quite as nasty as reading my email with my 7 Y.O daughter sitting beside me and opening a new email which turns out to be porm spam full of graphic images.

jokearound · 11-14-2002, 05:43 PM

as a legitimate emailer, I think its an awful idea..even though most of my emails are plain text, its nice when the time is right to be able to send out an HTML mail with pretty pictures to pull in the punters.

sure, I get my fair share of spam, but its not difficult to just highlight them all and press delete without viewing them. Or, Just turn off the preview pane if you dont like it. double click to view only the ones that have a clean sender and subject.

sdarken · 11-14-2002, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Just turn off the preview pane if you dont like it.

I like the preview page. It speeds up handling of email considerably over having to double click each email to view it's contents. 98% of my emails are fine.

Quote:

double click to view only the ones that have a clean sender and subject.

Porn doesn't always come nicely identified. It's often impossible to identify the contents of email by subject and sender alone which means that even if my preview pane was switched off, I still need to double-click and open the email to find out what it is.

By having my preview pane not show graphics I could then decide whether I really wanted to see what those graphics before they are automatically displayed. Most of the time I DONT want to see the graphics.

I'm afraid that peddlers of porn have spoilt it for all legitimate emailers such as yourself.

Strider · 11-14-2002, 06:22 PM

I use The Bat as my email client and it has always done that as far as I know. I love it, makes it so much easier to decide what HTML emails I want to read and which ones I don't.

gagsplus · 11-15-2002, 07:05 AM

I see the bat used a lot as a client in some of the spam I receive or at least that is in the headers.

Anyhow, this change is only in Outlook correct, which means people have to have like Office XP full version or so. But most people either use web mail or Outlook Express.

I don't care for it either, but like other comments said you can turn it off but then again it is faster with preview mode. I think I would like to have an option to view HTML in the preview mode

Strider · 11-15-2002, 09:21 AM

Actually, that is not true, there is a SPAM program out there that attempts to mimmick The Bat so it can get through more SPAM filters. You can read the details at http://www.ritlabs.com/the_bat/spammer.html

11-14-2002, 08:49 AM	#1
Czar Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia Posts: 9,488	New Outlook to block external images from preview window Hey guys, I see this as a great step forward in combating spam, malicious code and so on, but how do you think the new security features of Outlook 11 will affect legitimate HTML distributions? Article: http://news.com.com/2100-1001-964166...g=fd_lede1_hed Will any of you be concerned about the possible lack of open rate data (I imagine the email-centric ClickZ crowd will be most upset)? Or could this likely improve 'real' open rates and interaction simply by virtue of making consumers less wary of emails; thus improving the likelihood that they will read and respond to newsletters to which they have subscribed? __________________ Czar Follow Geek/Talk's Twitter Feed to stay up to date with new discussion threads and online ad industry highlights. Important GeekVillage Links: Home \| Rules \| Posting Guide \| Report Trouble \| Feedback \| Advertise on GV

11-14-2002, 05:43 PM	#3
jokearound Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: UK Posts: 739	as a legitimate emailer, I think its an awful idea..even though most of my emails are plain text, its nice when the time is right to be able to send out an HTML mail with pretty pictures to pull in the punters. sure, I get my fair share of spam, but its not difficult to just highlight them all and press delete without viewing them. Or, Just turn off the preview pane if you dont like it. double click to view only the ones that have a clean sender and subject. Last edited by jokearound; 11-14-2002 at 05:44 PM.

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11-14-2002, 12:39 PM	#2
sdarken Registered User Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: San Francisco Posts: 1,396	Seems like a good move to me also. Should have been done some time ago. I hate the idea that viewing email in the preview window is enough spammers to know that they sent their garbage to a legitimate email address. More than that however, there are few things quite as nasty as reading my email with my 7 Y.O daughter sitting beside me and opening a new email which turns out to be porm spam full of graphic images.

11-14-2002, 06:22 PM	#5
Strider Registered User Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 387	I use The Bat as my email client and it has always done that as far as I know. I love it, makes it so much easier to decide what HTML emails I want to read and which ones I don't.

11-15-2002, 07:05 AM	#6
gagsplus Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 116	I see the bat used a lot as a client in some of the spam I receive or at least that is in the headers. Anyhow, this change is only in Outlook correct, which means people have to have like Office XP full version or so. But most people either use web mail or Outlook Express. I don't care for it either, but like other comments said you can turn it off but then again it is faster with preview mode. I think I would like to have an option to view HTML in the preview mode

11-15-2002, 09:21 AM	#7
Strider Registered User Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 387	Actually, that is not true, there is a SPAM program out there that attempts to mimmick The Bat so it can get through more SPAM filters. You can read the details at http://www.ritlabs.com/the_bat/spammer.html