As most know, it doesn`t take long before a new email address is sniffed out and the ole spam makes it way. Just like flies to sh*t I suppose!

I`ve noticed a wide variety of measures sites use for their contact pages. Many just post mailto: email addresses, some use images of their email addresses, others use contact forms and no mention of a mailto. Some simply force folks through their helpdesk. I know, I missed a few!

I`ve used the first idea, purely because it was easy and I felt in some ways a little better than a form. However, within a few weeks those virgin email addresses were being nailed by spam. I`ve resided myself to using a form with a captcha.

How is everyone creating and managing their contact pages?

I always use forms. It's easy, you can push the user to give you certain information, and you can control where the information is routed. It's also convenient if the user doesn't use a desktop clients. I'm a fan of webmail, so seeing a mailto: link is more of an annoyance than anything.

Yeah, forms all the way. More professional, targeted, and convenient for your customers/potential customers.

I prefer forms for the same reason as Dan L. Personally, I hate seeing mailto: links, and would much rather fill out a form.

Forms, they have a lot of bonus, and no spam.

I think having the email address is more annoying than anything, can't count how many times I have tried to cut/paste one of those :)

A form also helps in ensuring that the contact is going to get to the right person by allowing them to select what department they want to contact instead of having to bounce them around.

Go with forms, you can do far more with them also it helps with spam

I prefer to just give out the direct email address. Spam is a reality, and you just need to have a good spam filter to catch it.

Forms all the way. Like someone said above, you have more control over the info and flow.

mailto links are bad. Sure you and me click and mailto link and it opens up a 'New Message' window that works.

However believe it or not, many people have no clue how Outlook works and that is usually what is opened up when a mailto link is opened.

Forms are the best way to get email correspondence from customers. It's way more flexible then a mailto link.