anti-spam tips for users

I've only noticed a server-side approach to this problem on these pages. But it's also important to arm our client-side users with the tools tricks and training they need. With this in hand they are able to eliminate a substantial portion of trouble before it even becomes trouble. Seen from the Executive vantage this can be a critical issue in terms of efficiency, mental health, and even legal liability (offensive porn spam has recently been a factor in several "hostile work environment" lawsuits). Here's 3 tips to whet your appetite. If you like them let me know and I'll post some more. USE ALIASES. Create one or more aliases for "public" functions and use your actual email address only for "private channels", strictly work-related or personal communications. When I go online to golf.com to buy some new clubs, for instance, I set up a new alias like "golf.com@mydomain.net". This allows me to know later who has misused me and I can either delete or filter or bounce these messages as appropriate. (this technique works for postal mail spam too) DO THE WEEDING. Take 5 minutes to learn how to use the "Rules" or "Filters" feature of your email program. You can filter out unwanted messages before they even show up in your In-Box! As a side effect, you will gain a powerful tool for prioritizing and automating and organizing your email. It can save you lots of menial manual labor so you can get out and start using those new clubs you bought online. DON'T BE A SUCKER. Don't give out your email address if you don't have to. Don't post email addresses on websites (instead just post a .gif or .jpg with the text so that automated webcrawlers cannot harvest your address so easily). And do not click that link at the bottom of anonymous spam that says "please remove me from your list", because spammers have taken to mass mailing to random addresses in hopes that you'll click the link and confirm your address.