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Outclass 1.2.4.1 - Outlook Spam Filtering Add-On

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By Heinz Tschabitscher, About.com

Outclass - Outlook Spam Filtering Add-On

Outclass - Outlook Spam Filtering Add-On

Heinz Tschabitscher

The Bottom Line

Outclass integrates POPFile with Outlook for easy to use and extremely accurate spam filtering and automatic mail classification. It even works with all email account types, something you can't easily do with POPFile alone. Unfortunately, Outclass is not 100% stable and doesn't work well with Outlook 2003's vertical view.
Pros
  • Outclass lets you use superior POPFile spam filtering from within Outlook
  • Easy and convenient to use
  • Outclass supports all account types
Cons
  • Outclass isn't perfectly stable, can crash Outlook
  • Has problems with Outlook 2003's vertical view

Description

  • Outclass integrates POPFile email classifying with Microsoft Outlook.
  • You can use Outclass to filter away spam and automatically file or prioritize emails.
  • Outclass can scan certain folders automatically and move or delete mail according to their type.
  • Using the Outclass toolbar, it's easy to re-classify messages and train POPFile.
  • Outclass installs a message list column that lets you see and use each mail's category.
  • Using magnets, you can bind certain senders, subjects or phrases to particular categories.
  • Outclass supports Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/3/XP and works with Outlook 2000/2/3.

Guide Review - Outclass 1.2.4.1 - Outlook Spam Filtering Add-On

Outlook comes with a usable spam filter, but its accuracy doesn't match POPFile's wondrous Bayesian filtering. POPFile also isn't limited to sorting out spam, it can automatically classify and prioritize good mail for you, too. It's just a pity that POPFile must be accessed through a web interface and only works with POP accounts.

If you install Outclass, you can remove both limitations elegantly in one swoop. Outclass integrates POPFile's classification engine into Outlook and your work flow. You get an easy to use toolbar that lets you re-classify messages, you can set up "buckets" (POPFile's categories) easily and have Outclass file or delete matching messages automatically. Outclass even works with all account types, so you can filter your IMAP or Exchange accounts just like incoming POP mail.

Unfortunately, the Outlook-Outclass combination is not stable under all circumstances and crashed a few times for me already. It's also a pity that Outclass doesn't work so well with Outlook's vertical pane layout. If you choose to display the bucket assigned by POPFile's classification it replaces the email Subject in the message list.

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