text vs html

Simply put, text email is just that: plain text that carries no fancy formatting such as font sizes, colors, clickable hyperlinks, etc. Examples of email programs that supports text-only emails are mutt, pine, and elm.

HTML email has all of the above and more. Examples of email programs that handle HTML format email include Outlook Express, Outlook, and Eudora.

For example, when I read an email in Outlook 97, I get color, multiple fonts, clickable hyperlinks, etc.

One big advantage of plain text email over HTML email is that the former is pretty much immune to attachments with viruses, while the latter is ripe for the picking, so to speak.

I hope this helps a bit!

Garry offord