html emails and ms 2010 outlook

Hi

I would like some advice i have been using icontact for ages for client emails (lots of autoresponders pre set) and all was fine till new computer this week and ms 2010 outlook. 2003 all displays fine, 2007 according to the help and support on their computer renders fine but on mine outlook 2010 omg all over the place. Support told me ms2010 outlook uses word to dispaly so does not read/render html tags well blah blah, emails standards.org etc .

But i have html emails sent to me e.g Envato that displays perfectly in 2010 ( plus on my old computer 2003) and has the same look i use i.e title and picture/logo top below a number of left justified pictures and then rt justified words on top of each other 5-6 lots in total. So my question (having a basic markup/ccs knowlege) is how does envato escape ms word alteration? If it was just ms word and outlook surely it would appply to all html emails - could it be the html markup/ and in line css on the part of icontact vs envato is 'not clean'? If envato can do it ( looks fine in 2003 and 2010 so assume 2007 ok too) icontact should be able to do it

I was told by icontact tech support to re-size the pictures externally not in their programme as word renders the original size (as some were balloning and so distorting) then import but this made no difference.

So i would like any input from anyone how best to solve this - ? better to use a grid system does this help to prevent distortion of the email as the info is confined? Use jpegs not pngs (occ small file size pngs used)?

Somehow Envato seem to have it solved so there must be a fix.

Scruffy

ps cannot jump ship as preset autoresponders are in force for lots of clients