CNET Editors' review
Mozilla's Thunderbird comes into its own with version 2.0, offering features and innovations that take aim at both Web mail clients and industry standards like Microsoft's Outlook.
The program loads fast, even when weighed down by multiple folders and RSS feeds, and the basic feature set remains intact: good junk mail filters, HTML support, multiple identities, and POP, IMAP, and Microsoft Exchange server support. Security features include S/MMIE, digital signing, message encryption, and a built-in phishing detector. Interface tweaks maximize message viewing, an obvious necessity in an e-mail reader.
What makes this freeware e-mail client such a serious contender are the new features. Back and forward buttons, like you have in your Web browser, let you jump through messages in the order that you viewed them. Customizable tag names and colors make it a cinch to keep things organized, even across dozens of message folders. The folder pane is customizable. Gmail and Mac users will find configuration as simple as entering your e-mail address and password, with rumored support forthcoming for other Web-based providers. Search results can be saved, and Thunderbird has Firefox's extension capability, allowing for user-designed tweaks that greatly enhance the program.
Flexible, powerful, and lightweight, Thunderbird 2 is an appropriate companion app to Mozilla's Firefox in every way.
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Publisher's Description
From Mozilla:
Thunderbird makes e-mailing safer, faster, and easier with such features as intelligent spam filters, a built-in RSS reader, and quick search. Thunderbird was designed to prevent viruses and to stop junk mail so you can get back to reading your mail. Thunderbird provides effective tools for detecting junk mail. Its tools analyze your e-mail and identify those that are most likely to be junk. You can automatically have your junk mail deleted or you can put it in a folder you specify, just in case you like reading junk mail.
View your e-mail the way you want it. Access your e-mail with Thunderbird's new three-column view. Customize your toolbar, change its look with themes, and use Mail Views to quickly sort through your messages. Version 2.0.0.16 is fixing security issues.
What's new in this version: Version 2.0.0.16 is fixing security issues.
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All versions:
3.9 starsout of 1,132 votes
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Current version:
4.1 starsout of 18 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Very Sweet!"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.16
Pros
Installation was a snap, and it completely took over my gmail account. It does what gmail was unable to do. Filtering all the spam and junk, where I don't even have to see it.
Cons
Have not found a disadvantage yet.
Summary
My daughter is 12 and the gmail account she has is none stop spam and junk mostly viagra or porn garbage. The subject lines alone without opening the mail were horrible. Though the filters would send it to spam or trash folders, it would not auto delete until after 30 days, which makes no sense.
Now using Thunderbird she only gets what her friends and family send her.
It's awesome, I was about to delete her gmail account when I came across Mozilla Thunderbird. -
"good but no way to get support for problem"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.16
Pros
ease of use
Cons
lost all messages on my server when I transferred from Comcast and cannot get in touch with thunderbird to find them. Need an 800 phone number
Summary
ordinary users that are not techies may need occasional help
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"always good"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.16
Pros
It's easy to use and very stable.
Cons
Too many emails are marked as spam.
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"easy way to get rid of junk mail ,"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.16
Pros
easy to manage emails and clear the rubbish
Cons
nothing yet
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"good alternative to outlook"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.16
Pros
its a good alternative to oultook for free. very nice work
Cons
not found so far
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"Microsoft has been outclassed...again"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.16
Pros
Pros: Stable and reliable. Easy to set up, easy to use. several useful add-ons available for free. Built in spell check and spam filtering using a Bayesian filtering system is highly accurate once the filter is trained.
Cons
Cons: There aren't any.
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"easy to use interface and its hassle free"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.16
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"Works well,flexible,fast with a couple of add ons great."
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.16
Pros
I'm just starting to use it. But it is fast reliable and simple to use. With a couple of add on programs it looks great. I've added contacts sidebar, and ad block, plus a dictionary.
Cons
I've added lightning, its is to weak for my needs, if it was a fully functional Sunbird that would be great. I need to be able to rename and color code the categories.
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"brilliant"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.16
Pros
Easy to use and it works fast.
Cons
Too many normal mails are marked as SPAM.
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"works well for a non nurd."
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.16
Pros
The spam filter I like, I get mail and that's about all I know or need.
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