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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:
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.
What's new in this version: Version 3.1.10 includes several fixes to improve performance, stability and security.
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All versions:
3.8 starsout of 1,193 votes
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Current version:
3.4 starsout of 19 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Font problems make it unacceptable."
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.1.10
Pros
Flexible, full featured, performs well, good message filtering capability,
Cons
1. The product suffers from unacceptable problems with the fonts used in displaying and writing messages.
2. The account settings interface is confusing, with some options hidden in too many levels of dialog.Summary
The problem with the fonts makes it unacceptable. I can't compose a message and be sure that it will be displayed as I intended on the recipient's computer. I will be uninstalling Thunderbird and looking for some alternative. This problem is unfortunate, because if the Mozilla group would fix this issue and allow the user to choose fonts by actual size instead of small, medium, large, etc, and display them properly and consistently, I would use the product without hesitation.
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"For Free its Great"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.1.10
Pros
Fast and simple
Cons
Pretty basic
Summary
Great as an open source program
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"Best E-Mail Program"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.1.10
Pros
Easy to use, full-featured e-mail manager for the six or more accounts I manage. Customizable, extensions abound, easy to integrate the Lightning calendar (which wil link to the Google Calendar) for Outlook-like functionality.
Cons
Have not yet found a way to use a network location for e-mails, calendar and address book. Manually consolidating e-mail messages on my "main" PC is a laborious and tedious manual task.
Summary
Anyone who is happy using webmail had never used Thunderbird. I love it.
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"Good email client with a couple of unresolved problems"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.1.10
Pros
Fast, easy to use, not resource hungry. All the usual bonuses that come with open source software. Supports multiple accounts and PoP to webmail providers
Cons
Doesn't support wireless update to the Calendar and address book. Does have a problem with email disappearing from the Inbox occasionally and totally at random. I have two gmail accounts but can only PoP one at a time.
Summary
Generally this great, friendly open source competitor to MS Outlook does a great job. Doesn't try to do it all and that keeps it light on resources. Needs a few tweeks to this version as people don't like losing email.
Users experiencing problems may benefit from reading this blog about compacting email folders. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Compacting_folders Thunderbird instals with automatic compacting 'off'' so problerms will result if you don't manually compact EACH mail account. File/Compact Folders
Updated on May 25, 2011 -
"I love thunderbird especially the lay out"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.1.10
Pros
I won't use anything else............
Cons
none,none ,none
Summary
BEST PRODUCT I'VE FOUND have been using it for some time now like % yrs.
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"A complete waste of time"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.1.10
Pros
looks ok at the first site
Cons
completely unreliable, after one week, all my mails just disappeared, everything lost, how can a program like this be allowed on download.com
Summary
Bottom line, I just hate it, complete incompetent free program
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"Can't give a review"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.1.10
Pros
Unable as couldn't get it to function properly
Cons
Unable to as couldn't get it to function properly
Summary
I downloaded the program and had a major problem with establishing a pop3 account (that is using the online instructions. I was able to send, but couldn't receive. Have uninstalled. I will give it another go at a later date.
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"For techies, not normal people"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.1.10
Pros
Pros? You must be kidding! I couldn't even get to first base.
Cons
How about after 15 minutes I still could not find a way to add a "delete" button to the header or tool bar? It was the same experience as stepping up to sophisticated office printer and not being able to find the "on" button.
Summary
I am no newbee by a long shot and I'd love to find programs that are better than MS crap. To think, this is "open software" developed with input from thousands of people. What is our world coming to?
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"Fast, simple, but hard to set-up"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.1.10
Pros
Simple interface, fast, customizable, doesn't use a lot of memory
Cons
Tricky to set-up if you use Windows Live Mail or a web-based e-mail; may need some add-ons just to get it to function how you want it to
Summary
I used to use Windows Live Mail (WLM) to view my Hotmail, but it was too much of a memory hog. I was looking for another e-mail client when I came across Thunderbird. I'm a big Firefox fan so I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, if you use WLM or a web-based e-mail, there's a lot of jumping through hoops to get everything imported and set-up. First you have to download the ImportExport add-on that for some reason isn't even included in their regular add-on directory (you have to go to some cheesy website that looks like it was designed in 1993). And then you have to export your messages from WLM and use the add-on to import your messages into Thunderbird. This is because, for some reason, when I set-up my Hotmail account only the Inbox showed up. So I had to go retrieve my saved and sent messages. What a pain! I had do the same for my contacts, too. Only when I imported them, the fields didn't match up and it was all screwy. I actually had to import them first into my old Outlook Express address book (which Thunderbird supports, even though it's been obsolete for a few years) and THEN import them from Outlook Express into Thunderbird. Worked like a charm. If your head is spinning from reading this, I don't blame you.
However, now that it's all set-up, I love how quickly the program and each e-mail message opens. Whenever I try opening WLM, I can hear my poor harddrive cranking away to the breaking point - even with 4GB RAM. I also love how you can customize it with the add-ons, just like Firefox.
In conclusion, I would recommend this program to those who are a little computer savvy and won't mind the extra legwork involved. It pays off in the end. -
"UPDATE WAS A MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENT!!"
Version: Mozilla Thunderbird 3.1.10
Pros
SIMPLY EASY YO USE!!!NONE YET
Cons
NONE YET BUT I'M SURE THEY WILL SHOW UP!!
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