Image doesn't display in e-mail messages

I use an e-mail signature that features an image that floats in when the mail is opened. Unfortunately, the image isn't always displayed. Ever so often, what floats in is a white box the the red x in the top corner that Outlook likes to use to replace unwanted images. I would like the image displayed by default, of course, not only on my machine but on any other email software, regardless of the local settings. If the image can't be made to float in, I would like it to be displayed. If it can't be displayed, it should be omitted.

I attach the code currently in use. I can't get it to work even on my own machine. I load the signature automatically when creating a new mail or reply. It will function fine a few times after new installation, but after a few uses the image will be replaced by the box to reappear again occasionally by rules I can't figure out.
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">
<!http://www.pinyin.info/tools/converter/chars2uninumbers.html>
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=gb2312">
<title>Signatures</title>
</head>

<body>
		<font style="font-size:10pt; color:#000000; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">

		Mobile MOBILE NUMBER<br>
				<MARQUEE style="WIDTH: 439px" 
		trueSpeed scrollAmount=1 scrollDelay=5 behavior=slide loop=1>
					<img src="FTimage.jpg" width="177" height="96">

				</MARQUEE><br>

	</body>
</html>

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awinkAsked:
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Om PrakashCommented:
Give the full file path to make it work:
 <img src="http://z.about.com/h/gp/FTimage.jpg" width="177" height="96">
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awinkAuthor Commented:
Is the path I should use actually the one you quote above? Who is z.about.com? And how can they help me show my image?
Or should I quote the full path to the image in my computer? I found another version of my signaturewhere some one, it seems, had a similar idea. I have this line of code there and wonder if that is what you mean (it doesn't do the job, either):
"../../../../../Application%20Data/Microsoft/Signatures/FTimage.jpg"
 
As I'm not familiar with HTML, I fear that I shall need you to guide my hand here.
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n2fcCommented:
You are forcing the image to be sent as part of your email to the recipient the way you are doing it.

Some recipients may not render (or restrict receipt) of this image for security reasons.

It would be better to "host" the image on a web server and reference the hosted image instead (by supplying the full URL)...   This alleviates the need to send your copy of the image from your machine with each email (less bandwidth and storage) and more likely it will be displayed by the recipient!
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bnaveencCommented:
Give the full path for the image <img src="http://www.yourdomainname.com/images/FTimage.jpg>
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awinkAuthor Commented:
OK, this part I understand now, and I shall try it out. Meanwhile, I don't think that the problem is access to the image.
The immediate problem is that the image doesn't display correctly on my own machine where it is (a) available and (b) I can do all the settings that enable its display. The setting that comes under suspicion is, of course, the one that permits Outlook (or is it IE?) to download images that come with e-mails. However, what explains that the image is shown sometimes and sometimes not, without any settings having been changed in between? The impression I get is that Outlook assumes preferences that come with e-mails I receive and then make them the default on my machine. This might happen when I click Reply, perhaps much like a plain text message will be replied to in plain text, though that doesn't change my default. Perhaps, the code needed is one that runs when I start Outlook and resets my defaults, rather than one that comes with the signature.
The immediate argument is that I should not try to figure out how an image might be received whose appearance I can't even control on my own machine.
Any ideas?
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steveoskhCommented:
The problem is access to the image, but let me address something else.
Your comment "regardless of the local settings"
As N2Fc inferred, I own the settings for my email account and control the settings for my users.   No one else will dictate or control our email.  <end rant>

Keep in mind that not everyone uses exchange.  We do not allow active x or other scripting in emails that we receive.  My advice is don't get cute with this stuff, keep it simple and professional.  

I am sure you can  "If the image can't be made to float in, I would like it to be displayed. If it can't be displayed, it should be omitted" but it will require coding that will be blocked or not work if you sent it to me or any of my users.
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Jason ThompsonSenior UX DesignerCommented:
I think this must be said: using the <marquee> tag is a crime against humanity, much like the <blink> tag used to be...and still is.  Movement should be used sparingly on web sites, and almost never in emails.  It's like trying to have a conversation withe someone while their left arm keeps flailing around.  It's too distracting.

Also, you want to try to keep email HTML almost as simple as a web page in 1997.  There are dozens of readers that support different tags, and Outlook 2007 alone threw email HTML back to the dark ages by using Word as its HTML interpreter rather than IE.

I'm with steveoskh.  Dump the animation.
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awinkAuthor Commented:
Sometimes the truth is hard to bear.
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