Getting ready to switch to Mozilla Thunderbird

[LTR]

Tired of the spam I get through Outlook Express, so I thought I'd give this one a try.

A few questions to the Mozilla faithful:

1. Is there support (like in Outlook) for multiple users/email accounts. Outlook is pretty easy to quickly toggle between users. This is very important.

2. Can the old saved email messages make a simple transition to Thunderbird?

3. What are the main advantages of Thunderbird over Outlook Express, besides the Microsoft factor? How about regular Outlook?

Thanks much. I just downloaded it to check it out, but won't go the default email handler until I'm sure it will work for me.

[Mojambo]

1. I'm fairly new with it myself

But to try and answer

1. Most definitely yes on this one.

2. I didn't do this but it seems easy according to the Thunderbird FAQ

How do I import e-mail messages from another mail program?

Go to Tools > Import, which will bring up a dialog to guide you through the process.

3. The spam filters have cut down on my junk by about 75%.
It is also better for any usenet posting that you might want to do.
And finally it is SOOOOOO much more secure than Outlook. This is the major benefit, IMO.

http://texturizer.net/thunderbird/faq.html#q2.9

[Selwynn]

2. Answers:

First, spam has less to do with what client you use and more to do with how much crap mail is coming to your emial address. If you have the same email address using a different client to read that email, expect the same ammount of spam.

--edit, yes you can filter it, but if your anal like me, I don't WANT to know its coming to my account, but then filter it out - I just don't want there to be any period. More on how I have been spam free for 2 years below...

1. Yes.

2. Well, I think the answer is yes, however I have IMAPI email so I download it off a server, meaning my mail is always there when I move to a new client. I believe you can save your outlook mail to a pst (or whatever the extention is) and then import it.

3. For me, I started using thunderbird over Full Outlook - the main reason being, I didn't need or want all the superfulous crap that was on Outlook for my home email. The intereface for Thunderbird, is slick, clean and useful - had all the features I wanted, none of the ones I didn't.

If you really want to be free of spam, can I give you a few pointers? I've been free of ALL spam (i.e. unsolicited or unwanted mail) for 2 years now, and here's what I recommend.

1) Don't use hotmail, or and msn account as your main account - they are prime targets for spam.

2) *DO* use a hotmail or yahoo account as your PUBLIC email account. If you have to register for a site and it needs your email address, or your some business site needs it, or other people that are not people you want to be getting mail from - give that address. That way YOU can check it if YOU need something from it, but otherwise you can just ignore it.

3) Then, after 2 *NEVER* give your private email out to anyone you don't trust.

4) Finally, I'd strongly recommend paying the annual 30-40 buck fee and getting a personal email account not associated with a huge commercial isp (like MSN, or Earthlink or AOL). For example, my email is --edit--(wow I'm tired, I can't believe I posted that here) The actual service is run by terbolic. For 40$ one time a year, you get their own spam protection and filtering, you get a fairly large grouping of features - for example, it is IMAPI so its like your own exchange server, messages are stroed on the server - up to 30gigs or something I think (I've never run out of space) and then your local email client pulls them from there. Both their incoming and outgoing servers are SSL encrypted. Becuase its IMAPI it means that you CAN use a local client to get the mail, just like a Pop3 system - but you can also check your email via a webclient from any browser anywhere as long as you have your username and password. Lots more freedom.

Check them out:
https://secure.terabolic.com/signup/indexsingleemail.php

[LTR]

3. I've been doing all of that for a while

My ISP email account, as well as my girlfriend's, are the only ones going through Outlook Express.

I also have a few commercial accounts (Hotmail and Yahoo) that I use for everyday web use (purchasing, registrations, etc.). The Yahoo accounts that I use have great spam filtering (most of it goes to a bulk mail folder, which I configured to dump immediately. I know nothing will 'block' per say, but as long as I don't see it and don't click on it, then I have no problem with it.

I don't get much spam in my private account, but it's starting to accumulate. I hate that OE opens up everything by default. That's where many of the problems start. Does T-Bird do that?

[Robb]

4. Never an early adopter, myself -- I plan to wait

...for the release of Mozilla Boon's Farm. :)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. Another alternative, still within the Mozilla family

Get Mozilla "proper", that is, the browser/e-mail integrated package. This way you can sidestep the other big security nightmare Windows has -- Internet Explorer. Tabbed browsing and native popup blocking is da bomb!

Besides, you'll get better e-mail/browser integration. For instance, if someone e-mails you an URL and you right-click on it, you'll get an option to "open link in new tab" (of existing browser window).

Every once in a blue moon you'll run into a page that doesn't load properly in Mozilla. THEN and only then you fall back to the still-installed IE.

Edit: typos galore

[Selwynn]

7. I recommend Mozilla FireFox over Mozilla

For a browser, firefox has all the features I want and none of the features I don't.

It's less bloated than mozilla prime, i.e. doesn't come with a bunch of additional functionalities I don't want - Firefox loads as fast as IE as well. It is hands down the best browser I have ever used.

Firefox and Thunderbird enjoy the same kind of integration, in fact, Mozilla prime comes with its own email client bundled in - I don't like all the things that are bundled into the browser becuase it slows it down. But Firefox is their stand alone replacement to IE and it rocks.

[LTR]

9. I do sidestep IE... somewhat

I use Avant Browser as my default browser. Seems like it's built with the IE framework, but it's more functional, tabbed, and blocks popups. They update every couple weeks. I like it alot.

I also have Firebird installed, and use it occasionally. Avant seems to render pages better, and works better with what I use it for.

I rarely use IE proper.

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. Switch to The Bat! - best program available, IMO

one of the best programs of all, not just email clients. I switched to The Bat! a couple years ago, and will never give it up.

http://www.ritlabs.com

handles as many email accounts as you want, it can handle common folders (folders shared by multiple accounts), it is BULLET PROOF for virus and worm emails, and is incredibly powerful: all sorts of filters, you can program your own templates and regex stuff, and yada yada yada.

It's fairly easy to use, though not as quickly intuitive as outlook or Eudora, but way the hell better, and as I said, bullet proof for virus and worm emails.

[neoteric lefty]

8. I would suggest get both thunderbird and firefox

because Thunderbird can be a long loader (mostly cuz it has so much to load up) Firefox is a speed demon. Internet Explorer and outlook are so bad in terms of security and privacy. Get rid of them as soon as possible.