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How do I Choose the Best Anti-Spam System?

G. Wiesen
G. Wiesen

Choosing the best anti-spam system is usually about evaluating your needs and then finding the right program, or set of programs, that will work best for you. You may also want to consider certain computer practices that may be able to reduce the amount of spam you receive, or at least redirect spam in ways that can make your computer use more effective. Certain anti-spam software will only work with certain types of operating systems (OS), so you should be sure to choose a program that will work with your computer. The best anti-spam system for you is likely to be one that addresses your needs and gives you an amount of control over the system appropriate for you.

An anti-spam system is a program, or package of programs and practices, which can help you reduce spam you receive in your email inbox. Spam is typically considered to be email messages that are undesired, unrequested, and often sent en masse in a way that is either abusive or makes regular email monitoring difficult. To avoid this influx of spam, you should look for an anti-spam system that will work best for your needs and suits your desires.

Spam represents a very real threat to millions of e-mail users worldwide.
Spam represents a very real threat to millions of e-mail users worldwide.

You should consider what type of computer OS you are running and what types of email accounts you have as you choose the best anti-spam system for your computer. Certain programs will only run with certain OS versions, and some anti-spam programs are designed to work with particular email providers. You should be sure that any software you consider using will work with the software you already have and the email address you wish to protect.

An anti-spam system can help keep unwanted messages from your email inbox.
An anti-spam system can help keep unwanted messages from your email inbox.

Having multiple email accounts can also be an excellent way to create an anti-spam system for yourself. This allows you to have an email account that you only use to send email to friends, family, and business acquaintances, and a separate email account that you use for registering on websites. By using a dedicated email account for website registration and software downloads, you can reduce the amount of spam that will be sent to your primary account.

Some anti-spam products filter emails based upon a continually updated list of known spammers.
Some anti-spam products filter emails based upon a continually updated list of known spammers.

As you look for a program to use with your anti-spam system, you should also consider the different ways programs can block spam for you. Some programs prevent spam from reaching your email account quite well, but may also block messages that are not spam and prevent you from receiving important emails. You should look for an anti-spam system with reviews from other users that indicate that over-blockage was not a problem. There are also programs that create a database from users indicating certain email addresses as spam, allowing your system to block spam messages based on spam that others have received before you.

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    • Spam represents a very real threat to millions of e-mail users worldwide.
      By: Tyler Olson
      Spam represents a very real threat to millions of e-mail users worldwide.
    • An anti-spam system can help keep unwanted messages from your email inbox.
      By: adimas
      An anti-spam system can help keep unwanted messages from your email inbox.
    • Some anti-spam products filter emails based upon a continually updated list of known spammers.
      By: a4stockphotos
      Some anti-spam products filter emails based upon a continually updated list of known spammers.