X-Priority: 3

[rkdcomp]

Can someone explain just what X-Priority: 3 is? It's located in the header and I'm finding that for the most part it only appears in SPAM MAIL. That may be a good thing as I might be able to set up a filter at my ISP level and keep all this crappy SPAM from even downloading.

I have OUTLOOK filtering along with Norton filtering, but who wants to have to download 50 emails and 49 are crap and are dumped into the Spam folder.
Thanks,

Richard
Tulsa, OK

 

[JockMullin]

Hi, rkdcomp

X-priority is an optional parameter in the email spec used to specify the priority of the email.

Values: 1 (Highest), 2 (High), 3 (Normal), 4 (Low), 5 (Lowest). 3 (Normal) is default if the field is omitted.

Most email programs don't fill it in unless it is set low or high. Client side programs will highlight the inbound message (!) if it is 1 or 2, but afaik it has no effect on delivery.

Using it to filter spam is not a reliable criterion, since some valid email senders use it and some spammers don't, though you're right in thinking it's mostly spammers who do.

Jock

 

[rkdcomp]

Jock:

Thanks for all the infomation. I've been checking all my emails in the Options and for the longest time the X-Priority 3 was showing up in the SPAM junk. So that was my thought on using it as a filter. But just yesterday I received an email from a friend and checking the Options in that email sure enough there was a X-Priority 3.

So much for that idea.

I have a better idea... catch these SOB's and just SHOOT THEM!

Richard