You probably already know what it is, and you probably either love it or hate it. You might use it only because it was turned on by default. You might not know about it because someone turned it off for you and you’ve not seen it since. You might just want me to cut to the chase and introduce the topic for the day so that you can decide if you want to invest another five minutes reading the column or move along. Fair enough. Today, we’re going to talk about the “Preview Pane” in Outlook and Outlook Express. When we’re done, you’ll be savvy enough to know whether or not it’s for you.

If you use Outlook or Outlook Express, by default, the Preview Pane is usually turned on. This means that you’ll see a list of all the emails in your Inbox (and other folders), and usually below that list, you’ll see one of your emails displayed. The email that is currently being displayed is whichever one is selected (or highlighted) in the list. The email “previews itself” for you whenever it is selected, and it uses the Preview Pane to do it. It can be argued that this makes it easier to browse through your email. I personally disagree, but that’s just my opinion. Some people like it.

So what? Well, the Preview Pane has a long history of being a bane to computer technicians and network administrators. Here’s why: Many years ago, ne’er-do-wells with nothing better to do created special computer viruses that took advantage of flaws in Outlook and Outlook Express. They loaded emails with these viruses that were set to trigger the moment the email was opened. When the email was opened, the payload was delivered, and the user was infected whether they knew it yet or not. Also, spammers now use a technique where they bury a small image into their junk mail. When you open the junk mail, the image is pulled from a web server somewhere – and notifies the spammers that you’re the kind of person who opens junk email. You’ve just become their new best friend.

While users have become better aware of these types of email threats and have become much more discriminating about the emails they will open, the Preview Pane knows no such limitations. Imagine this scenario: You clean out your Inbox, then go make yourself a cup of coffee. While you’re away, you get an email carrying a brand new strain of virus. Since it’s now the only email in your clean Inbox, it is highlighted automatically and displayed in your Preview Pane. At this point, unless you have excellent virus software that is updated and aware of this new threat, your computer will become infected while you’re stirring in the creamer. Not a great situation.

My recommendation to my clients and users for years has been to turn off the Preview Pane. In Outlook Express, it’s easy to turn off. Click the “View” menu along the top, select “Layout,” then un-check the “Show preview pane” box. Now, just double-click the emails you want to open, when you’re ready to open them.

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[Author’s Note: “Ask the Geek” is published weekly in the Stratford Star - the penultimate reading experience for residents of Stratford, Texas, population 1,920. It is posted on WritersCafe.net for posterity. Feel free to comment, but I can’t promise you’ll make the Star.]