Outlook 11 will, by default, no longer grab data such as images from outside servers when previewing e-mail formatted like Web pages. The ability to send and receive e-mail formatted in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) was at one time touted as a feature in Microsoft's e-mail programs. "We've taken a step backward, so to speak, by blocking external content when you preview e-mail," Simon Marks, Office XP product manager, said this week. Marks described the new feature as an important spam-fighting tool. When content is downloaded in spam e-mail it can act as what is known as a "Web beacon," telling the sender that the e-mail address is in fact valid, a technique used by spammers. Viewing the message in a preview pane without opening it is enough to trigger the Web beacon, analysts said. The beacon can lead to more unwanted mail from the original sender and, potentially, from other spammers who have access to the same mailing list. The new Outlook 11 feature can be turned off in several ways. Its users can disable the mechanism completely, or turn it off on a case-by-case basis for any individual message they chose. They can also choose an option that allows HTML content in e-mail from Web sites people have designated as trustworthy. Besides the content blocking, Microsoft has added other security enhancements addressing problems posed by HTML e-mail. "You can now convert all your e-mail to plain text," Microsoft's Marks said, another way of thwarting unwanted e-mail cookies and Web beacons. Microsoft has revamped the interface, removing, for example, the left-hand Outlook Bar that has been part of the product for about seven years. In a potentially more dramatic change, Microsoft has moved the preview pane from the bottom of the page to the right-hand side, though people do have the option of returning it to the former position. Many other Outlook 11 changes are less obvious. The product features a new cache mode that makes connecting to Exchange servers easier. Cache mode makes e-mail and other Outlook data readily accessible, rather than requiring the e-mail program to constantly access the Exchange server. The feature also keeps a person's data file synchronized with the one on the server. Other tweaks in Outlook 11 include a pop-up box that appears at the bottom right-hand side of the screen with a synopsis of each incoming e-mail message. Also, single messages can now appear in multiple folders. Outlook 11 includes more sophisticated handling of digital certificates, too. Article parts courtesy of ZDNET.