HTML vs PlainText for eMail

viewing images

[jzanfagna]

I am using FireFox 3 and Earthlink Total Access Email and can never view images from browser sources sent by free email users - Yahoo, HotMail, GMail etc.....When I click on the message I see it is sent in plain text, even though I asked that users use html for my messages. In other words these email servers change format to plain text. I am assuming this is why I can't see browser images - or am I wrong and that there is another reason? I have Windows viewing options set to Western Iso885901
Please....help.

[rocknbil]

Welcome aboard jzanfagna, a few questions to help clarify:

I asked that users use html for my messages.

So is someone sending you an html document, or are you using a server side program to send HTML email and it's not working? They are two distinctly different problems.

I am using ... Earthlink Total Access Email and can never view images from browser sources sent by free email users - Yahoo, HotMail, GMail etc.....When I click on the message I see it is sent in plain text...

I don't know your email program, but my first guess is that there would be settings in Total Access Email that would allow you to view pages as HTML. It is likely that it would offer up text only by default, as many viruses and malware are launched via HTML emails and image previewing (to preview and image, you have to "open" it, and if it's spoofing as a virus it could launch.)

[jzanfagna]

Hi rockinbil,
Thanks for a fast reply.
Yes folks send me forwards that have attachments with the .htm extension that automatically open a browser to view. When that happens, I get the annoying x box instead of the image. On the other hand, if the attachment has an .eml extension, I have no trouble viewing any images that might be included.

I can't find any settings in Earthlink Total Access Email that allow me to select message format for receiving. I thought only free email providers automatically sent plain text. I always use html in the messages I send and that is allowed, since those who receive get my images. I've put off asking for technical help at Earthlink - but I guess must do so.
Thanks again - and any further insight would be appreciated.
j.

[piatkow]

Most email providers give the choice of text or html these days. As rocknbill said the normal default for email systems is to block the opening of external files unless explicitly requested.

For an html file, assuming that you trust the source, I would suggest saving to your hard disk and then opening from there rather than from within your email client.

At a guess I would imagine that your email client is doing some formatting the the img tags in an html file but not in an eml file.

[jzanfagna]

Hi piatkow,
Thanks for the reply.
I really must call tech support at Earthlink to see where that setting for html is located.
On the other note - I have tried saving to hard drive but can't see image when I open that way either. sigh.