OUTLOOK EXPRESS (Windows XP with Windows XP SP2 Installed)

How to Customize Outlook Express for Functionality and Security
And Still Keep Spammers From Verifying Your E-mail Address

STEP #1

1. Open Outlook Express.
2. On the Tools menu, click "Options" then click the "Security Tab" at the top.
3. Uncheck "Block images and other external content in HTML e-mail."

Uncheck the box that next to "Block images and other external content in HTML e-mail."

Click Apply

Click OK

STEP #2

1. On the main Outlook Express Window, click "View" and choose "Layout" from the dropdown menu.
2. In the Layout Properties Dialog Window, uncheck "Show Preview Pane"
3. Click "Apply" and "OK"

Living Without "The Preview Pane"

Now, when you receive an email you will have to double-click the email to view it. But, you will be able to see the Sender and the Subject before you choose to view it. If you don't recognize the sender or it is spam, you can delete it without opening it. If you're not sure, you can right-click the message, choose "Properties", "Details" "View Source" to see exactly what it says without opening it. If it's from a friend or something you want to read you can safely double-click the message and it will open in its own window. Spammer's tracking images won't be displayed if you don't double click the spam message; but all your good email (and our newsletters) will appear just like they always have! Now, you have the best of both worlds: security and functionality.

Please remember to always have a good anti-virus program installed and just as importantly, keep it updated! You don't need to set your anti-virus to scan email - email is just a file like all the other files on your computer, but you do need to have an anti-virus installed and kept updated. This is a fundamental rule of safe computing! Never break it!