Windows XP SP2 Fights Spam (really!)

To the anti-spam community's shock and amazement, Microsoft has managed to make a small but effective change to Outlook Express's spam fighting functionality that actually works.

In Windows XP SP2, Outlook Express now by default does not display images in messages.

This feature doesn't directly reduce the amount of spam you receive like spam filtering software does. However, it has a number of important benefits:

1. Spammers use tracking images to verify that their email got through and confirm your email address. No images, no tracking.

2. That nasty porn spam isn't nearly as disturbing when you don't see in graphic detail something you thought wasn't physically possible.

3. This helps ISPs by reducing the amount of excess traffic generated by linked images. Also, since most viewers won't be viewing them, it reduces the incentive for spammers to include images as attachments.

Resource: Windows XP SP2 Fights Spam (really!)