Spam Filters & Blockers: The solution to unsolicited email?Written by Anti Spam League
Continued from page 1
Other well-known spam blockers are iHate Spam, McAfee Spamkiller, Spam Inspector 4.0, Spam Arrest, Qurb, Choicemail One, among others. iHate Spam is an easy-to-use and effective spam filtering solution for Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, Incredimail and Hotmail users. McAfee Spamkiller has several innovative features such as protection against Dictionary Attacks (made up names) and foreign language spam, and also supports Outlook, Outlook Express and other popular email programs. Based on personal and global learning networks, Spam Inspector 4.0 adapts itself to your email automatically, filtering out junk mail with an impressive accuracy. A particular type of spam filters are so-called ‘Bayesian spam filters’. These are considered intelligent filters, because they are capable of comparing two sets of information and acting on result. This differentiating feature of Bayesian filters is in direct opposition with vast majority of other spam filters which use pre-built rules to decide which email is spam and which is not. Bayesian spam filters take one group of legitimate email and another group of spam, and then compare values and data of each. They look for obvious repeating patterns to form an ‘opinion’ on something. In spam filter terms that ‘opinion’ becomes a rule. The definition of legitimate email that they create at end of this comparison session is what they use going forward to scan your inbox for spam. Yes indeed, these spam filters are capable of learning. For example, if filter blocked an email because it was perceived as junk, then user marked it as a valid email, then they will not to block that type of email in future. Thus, in time, this type of spam filter learns enough to block spam far more effectively. Some of Bayesian spam filtering options available today include AOL´s Communicator product, Eudora, and Spambully. Although latter is a fairly new product, it is already making waves in sea of spam fighting software. Spambully provides an integrated solution for users of both Outlook and Outlook Express, and its creators claim it can remove 99% of spam. Finally we would like to point out two free spam blockers that provide good filtering capabilities. They are prime examples of Bayesian spam filters and perfect examples that freeware does not necessarily mean low quality. The first of these products is called Popfile and second one is called Spampal. Both are Windows only software products. In conclusion, although no spam blocking product can currently guarantee 100% accuracy, one thing is for sure: more positive, affirmative action you take against spammers by deleting, blocking and/or blacklisting them, less spam you will receive. Spam filters and spam blockers can really help us along fierce battle against spam. The more action we take, smaller spam problem will become. Wouldn’t that make us happier? If you want to learn more about this and other related topics, check out www.Anti-Spam-League.org. This organization offers free membership and chance to access a wide amount of relevant information on privacy, spam, email abuse, Internet fraud, responsible marketing and several other topics.
The purpose of the Anti SPAM League is to help consumers and business owners reduce the amount of SPAM they receive. In addition, our Anti SPAM organization believes that educating site owners in the area of SPAM prevention and ways to successfully and responsibly market their sites, is key in making a difference.
| | Distribution Lists and Databases: A Primer for FreelancersWritten by Lyn Blair
Continued from page 1
Now you have created a shortcut for your contacts base. If you look in Outlook bar (the column entitled “Outlook Shortcuts”), your shortcut will appear as a Rolodex icon with “Contacts” written beneath it. Suppose you want to e-mail all your client prospects a self-marketing letter. Let’s make a distribution list. Making a distribution list in MS Outlook 1.Click on Contacts shortcut icon to open your contacts database. 2.Click on File (at top of program, located on menu bar). A box will open up. 3.Click on New. (Another box will open.) 4.Click on Distribution List. (A file card will open.) 5.In Name box, type name of your group, for example “Client Prospects”. 6.Click on Select Members. Your address book will open. 7.Select client prospect names from your address book. You’ll see them being added below in a list, consisting of names and e-mail addresses. 8.If a name isn’t in your address book, you can still add it to your group list now. Click on Add new. Fill in name and e-mail address, and then click on OK. 9.When you finish compiling your list, click on Save and Close icon. Now you’re ready to e-mail your self-marketing letter. In your e-mail, click On To: and your address book will open. As you scroll down, you’ll see, Client Prospects. Point to it and click. Client Prospects will fill in To: space on your e-mail. However when your clients receive e-mail, it won’t say “Client prospects”. Clients will merely see their names along with other individual names to which email was sent. That’s all there is to it. Making distributions lists will save you time. Have fun!
Lyn Blair is a copywriter and graphics designer in the Los Angeles area. She is Assistant Editor of Freebird-zine and also contributes articles. She recently launched her freelance business and web site at: www.lblairenterprises.com Contact Lyn at blairenterprises@earthlink.net
|
