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Despite perceptions to the contrary, the desktop-based e-mail client is not dead. Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0 is a serious reaction to the prevalence of Web mail, so whether you're looking for a strong desktop client, an Outlook replacement, or a powerful tool for managing archives and Web mail offline, Thunderbird can scale to your needs.
Outlook users will notice the speed and responsiveness of the program, which loads quickly, 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 robust Web mail, POP, IMAP, and Microsoft Exchange server support. Security features include S/MIME, digital signing, message encryption, and a built-in phishing detector. Add-ons, based on the same code as Firefox's add-on network, can enhance your security even further.
Joining such useful features as the back and forward e-mail browsing buttons and customizable tags in version 3.0 are a set of must-have features. The powerful search tool integrates results with desktop searches on Windows Vista and Windows 7, while tabs reinforce the connections between Web browsing and e-mail reading. In fact, the new search tool is so powerful that if you have a massive number of e-mails, you may want to set it to index them overnight lest it drain system resources from other programs. Gmail support especially has been revamped, so you now get an All Mail folder in Thunderbird, among other improvements. Mozilla's new Personas skins work in Thunderbird, while the Lightning add-on supplies the missing Microsoft Exchange-compatible calendar feature.
Flexible, powerful, and lightweight, Thunderbird 3 is an appropriate companion to Firefox in every way.
New search and tabs take flight in Thunderbird 3: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. Thunderbird 3 includes tabbed e-mail, new search tools and indexing, "smart" folders, support for Firefox's Personas, a simplified setup wizard, and robust junk protections that include phishing and spam filters.
Thunderbird 3 is based on the Gecko 1.9.1.5 platform including some major re-architecting to provide improved performance, stability, web compatibility, and code simplification and sustainability.
What's new in this version:
- Several fixes to improve stability and security
- Several fixes to the user interface and attachment handling.
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All versions:
3.8 starsout of 1,192 votes
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Current version:
2.8 starsout of 41 votes
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My rating:
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"Second Try Is A Strikeout, Too"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.1
Pros
It's a good email client with many features and pretty easy to use if you can get it installed and working.
Cons
Instructions for setting up accounts is paltry. If you aren't computer literate, forget it.
Summary
I have used this program for my Gmail and Yahoo email accounts in the past and it wasn't simple to get those to pop in. But I absolutely can't get it to POP my email from my two personal domains. Wasted about two hours trying all combinations of Ports, authentications, pop/imap, and the like. No program is worth that frustration.
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"Doesn't communicate with server"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.1
Pros
Nothing at all!
Cons
After it downloads your e-mail, it doesn't erase them off of the server. If you delete the e-mails from your server, you've also deleted them out of your inbox. I lost over 500 e-mails because of this.
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"The New Interface: Looks 'busy' but it works."
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.1
Pros
Thunderbird Client is stable and reliable; the numerous 'improvements' listed in the update have not ruined it. I have never been able to use "Outlook" successfully.
Cons
Too much change for the sake of change. What can be more elementary than "Get Mail" ? It is not clear why another button was needed just to turn the program "ON"
Summary
"T-Bird" is free of subscription fees and there is no "Time Out" limit.
Eudora was my choice for years but it was put out of commission after the current owners took over.
In our unlamented Dial-up Days, our ISP, which used a variation of Outlook, would crash and there would be no E-Mail available. This forced us to find an alternative because we had important on-line business to mind and E-Mail had to work. It helped if the Client was not an advertising tool.
"Thunderbird" appeals to the renegade in me.
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"Doesn't work with Verizon"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.1
Pros
Really looks good. I would've loved to try it out.
Cons
I was unable to set up my account to get mail from my ISP; Verizon. A simple task that I have done with many email clients.
I'm not sure if the problem lies with T-bird or Verizon, but I was able to configure Pegasus to send and receive email easily.Summary
Don't bother with this if Verizon is your ISP.
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"I am unable to understand how to use program w/my mail"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.1
Pros
It seems like a great program but I cannot use it
Cons
I have not been able to get my mail to come here from my aol......I don't like the fact it at this point has not been friendly user.....or maybe I am not friendly user...
Summary
I would love to use this program but have not been able to....it seems like it would be great fro me if I could access....
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"no good would not work with Tiscali"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.1
Pros
Would not work with my ISP. Kept on telling me that I had to change settings but could not find where to change them. Could recevie emails but not send them. I downgraded to V2 which allows me to send and receive emails
Cons
Inability to send emails and the fact I could not find any instructions on how to correct the problem
Summary
Did not get chance to use it as could not send emails using the proghramme. Happy with V2
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"Thunderbird is Unstable"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.1
Pros
It's free.
Cons
Program is unstable. I lost all my emails on the computer I tried it on. Corrupted them. I was never able to recover them either. Never had that problem with Outlook Express.
Summary
Don't use Thunderbird if you have important email.
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"Has the potential to be a great E-mail client"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.1
Pros
Liked the look of it,easy to use,nice interface,and I liked that you could associate photos with each contact.
Cons
Couldn't seem to find or use some of the features described in the summary. Couldn't get it to forward or send messages.
Summary
Liked most everything about it. Tried uninstalling and reinstalling and was very careful to make sure I had all the settings right with pop,STMP,ports, etc. but nothing cured the problem with sending and forwarding.Received just fine,just would't send. Had it not been for that I would have kept it.
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"Total waste of time"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.1
Pros
Maybe the popularity ?
Cons
Everything else.
Summary
I have never been more disappointed by any piece of software. I downloaded and installed this after my Vista crashed and refused to start again. Last resort was reinstalling it from scratch. I lost all program data, including the configuration of Opera's integrated mail client. Restoring one specific email account did not work with it. So I decided to try another client.
Here's where Thunderbird the bloated boastful comes in play. After setting the said account as IMAP, mistaken by the "auto configuration" settings, I realized it's a POP account. I removed it but the SMTP server could not be removed. Wrong.
So I decided to uninstall this program which is clearly useless to me. But there's no entry for it in the programs list in Control Panel so I can't uninstall it. There's no "Uninstall" shortcut in the Start menu either. That's just arrogant. -
"A Big Mistake"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.1
Pros
I could not think of any except for tabs.
Cons
This release is not even Alpha grade. It is a piece of crap and make your folders disappear.
Summary
DON"T DOWNLOAD !!!!
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