thunderbird posts

Filed under: Internet, Internet Tools, Mods

Make Thunderbird resemble Leopard Mail

by Dave Caolo (RSS feed) on Jan 24th, 2008

I use Thunderbird for email on my laptop running Ubuntu. It works great, but the default skin isn't to my liking. I've tried skinning it with mixed results, but today I've found The Skin I've Been Looking For (but not in a creepy, Buffalo Bill kind of way).

Deviant Art user ~Rio-2007 has posted a very convincing Mail for Leopard skin. After download, simply apply the skin via Thunderbird's Add-Ons option (Thunderbird 2.0 is required).

Try it out. Because even our non-Macs must resemble Macs, not that we're obsessed.

[Via Lifehacker]

Tags: email, leopard, mail, skins, thunderbird

Filed under: Software, Internet Tools, Open Source, Blogs

Google Summer of Code kicks off with Camino, Adium, Thunderbird and more

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Jun 7th, 2007

Google's Summer of Code is a really cool, really massive project focused on open source that first started back in 2005. It functions on a pretty simple concept: the company gives out grants to student developers (this summer they brought on 900 from a list of 6,200 applicants) to work on open source projects for the summer, and we all subsequently benefit in one way or another. Take a gander through the long list of projects on the menu for this summer, and click on any to see what the goals are.

Whether or not these goals are met by the end of the summer is another thing entirely, but there are some great projects and features on the list for such apps as Adium, Camino, Thunderbird, Inkscape and much more. Adium, for example, might gain features like basic voice chat, AppleScript and Bonjour support, while a juicy feature on Camino's todo list is Tabsposé, bringing the window management wonders of Exposé (much like the WebKit-based Shiira features) to the more Mac-like alternative to Firefox. In fact, one of the developers involved with working Tabsposé for Camino is blogging the effort, with a few posts already online covering developer-oriented topics like getting caught up with minor details and coding resources, but also including teaser mockups of what Tabsposé might eventually look like.

Long story short: Google's third round of Summer of Code looks like it will again do some great things for Mac OS X software and open source on a broader scale. Heck, those open source developers are even getting paid, which must be a nice change of pace for some of them. We'll keep an eye on what new features arise from this Google-funded coding powwow at the end of the summer.

Tags: adium, bonjour, camino, code, expose, google, summer of code, SummerOfCode, tabs, tabspose, thunderbird

Filed under: Software, Open Source

Correo 0.1

by Scott McNulty (RSS feed) on Feb 2nd, 2007

Correo is an open source mail app that aims to blend Camino with Thunderbird to create the best darn OS X email client out there. This 0.1 isn't exactly feature rich, but you can't expect lots of features from a 0.1 release. At the moment you can check both IMAP and POP email accounts, send email via SMTP, and choose a 2 pane view or a 3 pane view. Here's hoping that Correo really takes off, since OS X is really lacking a top notch email client.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

Tags: camino, correo, email, thunderbird

Filed under: Software, Open Source, Universal Binary

As runs the fox so flies the bird

by Michael Rose (RSS feed) on Dec 20th, 2006

Right behind the update to Firefox, the Mozilla crew has bumped resident email/news/RSS client Thunderbird to version 1.5.0.9. Several security and bugfix changes are included. You can lift your wings and download it at mozilla.org.

I will admit that I've never used Thunderbird on a regular basis, as I am bound to Entourage/Exchange at work and I've gotten (reluctantly) used to it. Email clients are like your barber; even if the haircut isn't that great, switching to a new one involves a degree of discomfort. I'd be interested to hear what T-bird users like or dislike most about their feathery friend. (No John Travolta jokes.)

Tags: email, mozilla, oss, thunderbird

Filed under: Software, Hacks, Productivity, Internet Tools

Unofficial builds of Thunderbird with Address Book integration

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Dec 12th, 2006

A deal-breaker for many potential Thunderbird users is its lack of integration with Mac OS X's Address Book. While we found a web-based exporting tool back in January that worked for some users, plenty of others have their reasons for sticking with Apple's digital rolodex.

We've heard about unofficial Thunderbird builds and plugins that can allow it to use contacts from Address Book, but it seems their developmental progress has been stop and go over the past year. Enter Robert Coleman, a quintessential knight in coding armor who has released an updated build of Thunderbird that traverses the void between Mozilla's and Apple's address books - though it isn't without a little bit of fiddling and a catch. Robert had to post some vital instructions with the build which you must follow before you can get your hands on the goods, so read carefully. The catch? Address Book integration is read-only; you can't add new contacts from Thunderbird, but hey - it's a start.

[via Hawk Wings]

Tags: address book, AddressBook, build, builds, contacts, integration, mozilla, thunderbird

Filed under: Software, Internet Tools, Open Source

Qualcomm's Eudora goes free and open source

by Laurie A. Duncan (RSS feed) on Oct 11th, 2006

Qualcomm announced today that in 2007 they will begin releasing their esteemed email client, Eudora, as an open source and free application. The new version will be based on the same platform as Mozilla's Thunderbird and the final commercial versions of Eudora for both Windows (7.1) and Mac (6.2.4), available now at a reduced price of $19.95, will cease being sold once the open source version is out. Technical support for newly registered owners of the discounted commercial version will extend for a 6-month period and include three "incidents", but the company says that existing one-year/six-call support commitments will be honored in their entirety. Additional details can be found in the Eudora Announcement FAQ.

Back in the days when I had a job that required using Windows at work I used Eudora exclusively so that I could easily move my mailbox files back and forth between Mac and PC. It's been years since I've personally used it, but recent encounters with Eudora on the Mac were a shock to the system. Always a powerful email client (behold the power of the X-Eudora-Setting), with a vibrant user support community, I was shocked that the interface had barely changed a bit in 10 years! Some might find that endearing but I found it jarring to have that particular UI - Aquafied just enough so that you didn't think you'd mistakenly launched Classic - floating in a sea of otherwise brushed metal goodness.

How many of you are currently using Eudora (paid or ad-supported) or plan to give it another shot when it goes open source?

Tags: eudora, mozila, open source, OpenSource, qualcomm, thunderbird

Filed under: Software, Internet Tools

Surprise - Thunderbird 1.5.0.4 released with Universal goodness

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Jun 2nd, 2006

Right alongside Firefox's update today, Mozilla has also brought Thunderbird up to the 1.5.0.4 (.3.2.1.12) version with a big improvement for Intel Mac owners: Universal Binary super-powers. Also in this update are security and bug fixes. Let us all take a moment of silence in remembrance of the bugs who lost their lives in the making of this update.

One thing I am not sure of, however, is if that GmailUI extension we blogged earlier will work after this update. Does anyone know?

Tags: bug, bugs, client, DLS, email, fix, fixes, GmailUI, improve, improvement, Mozilla, security, stability, Thunderbird, UB, UniBin, Universal, update

Filed under: Software, Cool tools, Productivity, Internet Tools

GmailUI Extension for Thunderbird

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Jun 2nd, 2006

If Gmail's UI floats your boat but you prefer using a desktop email client for 'no waiting for a refresh' feel, Ken Mixter has developed a Thunderbird extension just for you. The GmailUI extension brings many of the shortcuts and search expressions of Gmail to Mozilla's Thunderbird client. Keyboard shortcuts like J and K for moving up and down through messages, as well as search expressions such as 'subject:' and 'from:' can now be a part of your Thunderbird experience. Ken even went so far as to include Gmail's 'archive' functionality and (oddly) a quick calculation function, right from within Thunderbird's search box.

The extension appears to be completely free, and Ken is accepting feedback and suggestions at his site. Head over to Mozilla's addons site to grab the extension, or check out Ken's site for a lot more details of everything GmailUI is capable of.

[via Gmail.pro]

Tags: archive, DLS, expression, expressions, feel, Gmail, GmailUI, keyboard, look, search, shortcut, shortcuts, Thunderbird, user interface, UserInterface

Filed under: Software, Internet Tools, Books and Blogs

Details of upcoming Thunderbird 2.0 release

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on May 29th, 2006

Hawk Wings has tracked down some details on a tantalizing v2.0 update to Thunderbird, Mozilla's email client. New features at the top of my list are message tagging, a tabbed message viewer and a built-in notification system. It's great to see more developers bringing the tagging paradigm to email, as Scott Morrison has done with his MailTags plug-in for Apple's Mail.

Check out Mozilla's Thunderbird development blog for the full (and lengthy) post of what's coming in this major release for Thunderbird, including plenty of Mac-specific features and fixes.

Tags: DLS, email, feature, features, message, messaging, Mozilla, tab, tabbed, tag, tagging, Thunderbird, update, updates

Filed under: Software, Productivity, Internet Tools

Finally - a tool for exporting Address Book to Thunderbird (and Gmail)

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Jan 5th, 2006

Answering the prayers of potential Thunderbird switchers everywhere, a wonderful and as-yet unnamed individual has put together a web-based vCard-to-CSV Converter for easily moving your contacts from Address Book into either Thunderbird or Gmail. The interface and process are both conveniently simple: export your desired group in Address Book (File > Export vCard) and feed it into this tool. You have three conversion options: LDIF (which is Thunderbird-friendly), CSV and Gmail CSV.

After discovering the joys of Gmail (but not removing Mail.app from my Dock just yet) I'm not that interested in Thunderbird, but I fired it up just to verify that this conversion and import process is the first I've seen to truly work without a single hangup. The new LDIF file imports just fine into Thunderbird, and you won't even have to remap any fields.

[via Hawk Wings]

Tags: Address Book, AddressBook, convert, converter, CSV, email, Gmail, Thunderbird, vCard

Filed under: Software, Tips and tricks, Internet Tools, Mods

YAMTT - Yet another Mail theme for Thunderbird

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Dec 31st, 2005

Hawk Wings has tracked down another Mail theme for Thunderbird by the name of TigerMail. While I know we've blogged one before, I can't track it down. From what I remember though, TigerMail is a much more accurate reproduction of the Tiger Mail look and feel. But if Panther Mail's look and feel is more your style, CrossOver might just be the Thunderbird theme for you.

Tags: CrossOver, Mail, Panther, theme, Thunderbird, Tiger, TigerMail

Filed under: Software, Internet Tools

Thunderbird 1.5 RC2 released, gets shinier

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Dec 27th, 2005

Ok so I lied: Thunderbird isn't really any shinier, I just thought that headline might make C.K. download it faster on his quest for a Mail replacement. But seriously, it sounds like they've made some significant updates with RC2, when I thought release clients were simply about squashing bugs. Among the list of updates: better automatic updates, spell checking as you type (how 'bout it Firefox??), redesigned options UI, improvements to podcasting and RSS, built-in phishing detection and more. These sound like nice upgrades to an app that reportedly (and I agree) beats the pants off of Mail in the IMAP department. Still, as Hawk Wings points out, Thunderbird's inability to play well with lots of other OS X apps, lack of applescript support and just plain "butt-ugly" UI can tarnish the Thunderbird experience for some OS X users.

Me? In my journey for Mail alternatives, I'm slowly settling into the Gmail way of things. It's certainly a new experience going from a desktop app to a web-app, especially for something as intensive as handling the army of email I collect in a day's time, but Gmail does most of the things that I was using Mail plugins for, such as MailTags. Plus, since Gmail went mobile, I don't necessarily need to keep my PowerBook glued to my head 24/7 to keep on top of things, so it's been working out so far.

At the end of the day though, it's nice to see another large choice in email clients besides Mail and *shudder* Entourage, especially since Thunderbird has a few unique tricks like RSS reading up its sleeve.

Tags: email, IMAP, RC2, release candidate, ReleaseCandidate, Thunderbird

Filed under: Internet Tools

Skin Thunderbird with a Mail look

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Sep 19th, 2005

Apparently someone by the name of "Riz" has a love-hate relationship with Apple's Mail, for Riz has gone and created a pretty darn accurate Mail theme for Mozilla's Thunderbird.

While I don't have a copy of Thunderbird to test this, it seems the look, feel and most of the icons are all present, offering a bit of a home away from home if you prefer Thunderbird's functionality, yet miss Mail's good looks.

[via Hawk Wings]

Tags: mail, skin, themes, thunderbird

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