Internet Tip of the Week - by Bob Osgoodby
Information OverloadWe receive so much information on the Internet, especially via
email, that many times we have difficulty separating the good
"stuff" from the junk. Most of us put unsolicited email (spam)
in the junk category. By the time we weed through all that
"stuff" however, we are approaching information overload, and may
give "short shrift" to the really good information we receive.One way to overcome this very real problem, is to create email
filters for things you may wish to read at a future time. For
example, create a generic filter for the ezines or newsletters
you subscribe to, or one for each. This will then automatically
separate this good "stuff" from the junk. You can then keep your
"inbox" clean and read the information at your leisure when you
are less harried.Use your email filters to weed out the junk. It only takes a
moment or so to create a filter, and this will keep all the
repeat spam out of your inbox. The best way to filter spam, is
not to filter on the senders email address. Most of these are
forged anyway, and are different every time. Pick out some "key
words" contained in the body of the message. "Stop Snoring, Own
an offshore retirement fund, $16,000+ with ONE $20 gift" just to
name a few. Filter out those emails that match your key words.Some of the spam is one time only and you don't need to be
concerned with that. One way to do it, is to create a folder
titled "Spam". Every day, instead of simply deleting them,
transfer them to this folder. If you see a pattern developing,
you can easily pick out the worst offenders, and create a filterfor them.
When you subscribe to an ezine or newsletter, don't make a
summary judgment that you don't want it. Most publishers try to
provide a "variety" of items, and it may take several issues
before you both click. Like a baseball player, don't expect a
"homerun" every time at bat. Give it a half-dozen or so issues
before making up your mind. You may simply get an issue that
doesn't appeal to you, but the next might be a winner.Some people go so far as to set up a separate email account just
for their personal use, and another for their ezines, which is
not a bad idea. But, if you do this, for goodness sake remember
which one you used. Most publishers use list servers for their
mailings. You can't unsubscribe from a publication except from
the address that they have on file. To prevent the "cranksters"
from running amok, they require you to be signed on the address
they have on file in order to be removed.
If you decide you don't want a particular publication any longer,
try to unsubscribe, and if you get a message that you are not on
the list, it does little good to rant and rave. If you're not
there, you're not there - period. While most publishers don't
want people on their list who don't wish to receive it, they
have no idea what email address you used when subscribing.Most publishers will make an honest effort to remove you from
their list, and threats to report them for spamming, will not
help them to remove you. The majority of the time the people who
complain are using a free email account, and are automatically
forwarding the mail to their main address. To compound matters,
they forgot they are doing this, and get aggravated when they
can't unsubscribe under their main email address.If you are receiving a publication and cannot unsubscribe, filter
their publication automatically into your trash basket. This
will save you and the publisher a lot of aggravation.There is a great deal of information on the Internet. If you
approach it wisely, you will benefit. If you don't, you may
be suffering from information overload, and deleting some really
good information mixed in with all the junk mail you receive.-----
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We
Have Zero Tolerance for Spam