Thunderbird Email Gets Thunderous Applause
Full-Featured, Free Email Application Ready for Download Now
Dec 13, 2008
Thunderbird is a free email application from the Mozilla Foundation, the makers of the popular Firefox web browser. Like other offerings from Mozilla, Thunderbird is built with open-source software. It is fast, secure and easy to use. What's more, thousands of developers over the world have contributed plug-ins, or add-ons as they are called in Mozilla terminology, that greatly expand its functionality.
If you're looking for an alternative to Outlook, browse on over to the Thunderbird site and download the application. You'll be up and running in no time.
Thunderbird Set-Up
After downloading the application, double-click its icon to start the installation. During setup, Thunderbird will first need to be configured so it knows where to pick up email messages from. Certain well-known email programs like Gmail are particularly easy to link to Thunderbird. To connect to other email hosts, the application needs the following information:
- The user's email address
- The POP and SMTP addresses of the user's email host (available on the host's website)
Thunderbird will load its default settings based on the above data. Multiple accounts may be added through the Tools > Account Settings menu. To customize account settings, use the Tools > Options menu.
Using Thunderbird
Thunderbird has a clean, open look-and-feel that invites you to start composing and reading email messages right away. By default, the application loads a minimal number of icons onto the toolbar. Customize the toolbar by right-clicking on any empty area of the toolbar and choosing Customize.
This will bring up a number of icons. Click on the appropriate ones, and drag them into position on the toolbar.
Write a Message
To write an email message, do the following:
- Click the Create a new message icon -- which, appropriately enough, is a pencil.
- If you've set up more than one email account, choose the right one.
- Enter the recipient's address, add Cc's and Bcc's (if any), and type the message.
Customize Thunderbird
The application can be customized in endless ways. Here are some neat features many people use:
- Color-coded labels for inbox messages. Highlight a message in the inbox, and click Message in the menu bar, then Tag. Select the appropriate tag from the dropdown list, or add a new tag.
- Create filters based on specific message types or senders. Highlight the message in the inbox. Click Message in the menu bar, then Create Filter From Message... Enter the actions you want Thunderbird to take, and click OK.
- Account-specific Junk settings. Click Tools in the menu bar, then Account Settings... Click the account's Junk Settings, enter the required settings, and click OK. Repeat for each account.
Make Thunderbird More Useful With Add-Ons
Add-ons provide functions that enhance the user experience. Some well-recommended Thunderbird add-ons include:
- GMailUI - adds the best GMail-type features to Thunderbird
- Lightning - a comprehensive calendar function
- Quote colors - change the text and background colors for different levels of quotes in an email chain
- ThunderBrowse - view a web link in Thunderbird, without opening a browser
Find all the add-ons here. After loading the add-ons, manage them by clicking the Tools menu in Thunderbird and selecting Add-ons.
Ever since it was introduced, Thunderbird has been receiving nothing but rave reviews. It is powerful and versatile, making it ideal for business or personal use. It ranks as one of the top email applications, so go ahead and give it a try.
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