Q1:	THOnline works very well and I track quite a lot of messages every day. I noticed that about 10% messages that are reported by THOnline as NOT READ were actually opened by recipients! What does it mean, and how sure I can be about mail tracking?
Q2:	Does anti-virus software or firewalls on recipient side can block tracking tag?
Q3:	I'm able to select in tracking dialog also MS Outlook like tracking. What is it?
Q4:	I need as reliable e-mail tracking as possible so I decided to use THOnline tracking tag and MS Outlook notifications combined. But what does it mean to integrate MS Outlook like notifications with THOnline service?
Q5:	How can I create a THOnline user account?

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Q1: THOnline works very well and I track quite a lot of messages every day. I noticed that about 10% messages that are reported by THOnline as NOT READ were actually opened by recipients! What does it mean, and how sure I can be about mail tracking?

A: Tracking technology like any other has some limitations. In order to detect a fact that recipient opened your message this person must be on-line while opening a letter. Also an e-mail viewer must be capable of displaying web graphic attached to messages (most readers currently are).

Here are examples when THOnline will fail to detect read of message:


• Recipient downloads e-mails and then goes off-line to read those messages (tracking tag can't connect to THOnline server).
• Recipient uses a mail client that can't display images (like Linux text-only mail readers).
• Recipient uses a software that blocks all web images (for example Tray Helper is able to do it).

Summary:

• If you sent an e-mail with tracking tags and service reports that it was not read - there is a slight chance that actually this message were opened but THOnline was not able to detect it.
• If THOnline reports that message was received you can be SURE that is actually was.
• If you need as reliable results as possible - I recommend to track message with both THOnline tracking tag and in MS Outlook way.

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Q2: Does anti-virus software or firewalls on recipient side can block tracking tag?

A: Tracking tag it's not anything special. It's NOT an executable file or script. It's only a simple link to image on WWW server. Quite a lot of messages contains such links - so tracked message should never trigger an anti-virus software because it's harmless. It's quite similar with firewalls - this software would have to block WWW images to prevent THOnline - it's highly unlikely that someone would configure firewalls to do it.

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Q3: I'm able to select in tracking dialog also MS Outlook like tracking. What is it?

A: Tray Helper is able to use two different tracking methods:

• THOnline tracking tags - those tags are images attached to outgoing mail. When recipient opens a message software loads the picture from THOnline service and then message is marked as read.
  
  
• MS Outlook like notifications - it's a very old technique to track messages. When used - your recipient on first read of message will be asked by a pop-up dialog if to send back ordinary e-mail with read confirmation. This technique is still often used but has some disadvantages like:
  
  
  • it bothers recipients with pop-up questions (it's not automatic)
  • it is not reliable (recipient can choose not to send back confirmation)
  • it can detect only a first read (when THOnline tag is able to detect number of reads and date of first and last read).
  • it can't be invisible to recipient
  
  Since both of those techniques (THOnline tag and MS Outlook like notification) use different technique to track message - when combined can produce the most reliable results.

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Q4: I need as reliable e-mail tracking as possible so I decided to use THOnline tracking tag and MS Outlook notifications combined. But what does it mean to integrate MS Outlook like notifications with THOnline service?

A: Ordinary MS Outlook like notification when accepted by recipient sends back an e-mail message at your account. This is not a very convenient way (especially if you track many messages you can be flooded with many confirmation e-mails). But if you select to integrate this feature with THOnline service - confirmation message will be send at THOnline e-mail address not at yours. Thanks to it THOnline will mark message as read (an notify you if you want to be notified).

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Q5: How can I create a THOnline user account?

A: THOnline account can be created for FREE form Tray Helper application. If you have Tray Helper installed on your system - just click on "THOnline service" button in the bottom-left corner of the application and select "Create a new FREE account". If you want to install Tray Helper first - click here.