Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.17

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.