Why Plain Text Is Better For Email

Everyone likes getting those really dynamic e-mails with the colored fonts, embedded images, and stylized text.  HTML rendered email looks really awesome and in some cases can be easier to read.  But there are drawbacks to all those extra features that make our email look fantastic.  Reading email in plain text offers important benefits that make up for the loss of pretty colored fonts. 

• Fact:  Plain text email squashes web bugs.
• Fact:  Plan text email does not support embedded images.
• Fact:  Plain text email does not support active content.  Plain text email prevents email attachments from opening automatically.  

 HTML mail can be a trap with the use of invisible embedded images, specially formed links and other techniques that allow email to be tracked along with a record of the recipients opening yourself and those who you forwarded the email to, to spam.  HTML mail can utilize active content that causes attachments to open automatically or files to be downloaded to your system.  Common phishing scams to get your passwords, bank account information, etc. start out as HTML rendered email.    Add an extra layer of protection for your computer, set your email to read email in plain text format.