New version of Outlook to block webserved graphics?

From: Aric Boyles <aric_at_greaterthanone.com>
Date: Fri 26 Sep 2003 13:37:01 -0500

According to a recent NYTimes article entitled "Microsoft Office 2003
Reviewed"
(http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/25/technology/circuits/25stat.html?th look
on page 2), the new version of Outlook (which hits the shelves in October)
will automatically block images in emails being pulled from a webserver. In
an excerpt:
"Finally, Outlook thwarts a common spammer tactic by blocking graphics that
appear to be embedded into a message but in fact get fed to you from a Web
site somewhere. You see only the text of such messages. (Outlook doesn't
block traditional attached images, so you won't miss out on your second
cousin's latest baby pictures. Furthermore, if you do want to see a blocked
image, a couple of mouse clicks calls it up.)"

Considering the current usage levels of Outlook as an email client (#1 or #2
last time i checked), what do you think this will mean to legitimate email
marketing efforts? Outlook certainly won't be able to distinguish between an
opt-in email communication and a spam, at least until the user identifies
the legitimate mail as such. But until that happens, I'm assuming every
incoming HTML email will appear as nothing more than a shell, containing
only text and broken graphics. Is that what we should expect next time we
rent an opt-in list, or send a company newsletter, or respond to a
legitimate user's information request? I can just hear the delete buttons
now...

I'm going to do more research on this, but was wondering if anyone else had
an interest in what this might mean to legitimate email marketing.



aric boyles | creative juicer | greater than one inc
28 west 27th street | 7th floor | new york ny 10001
212 252 9530 | aric_at_greaterthanone.com





Received on Fri Sep 26 2003 - 13:37:01 CDT