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Thunderbird: Free Your Inbox

We never did a proper #introduction, did we? 😲

Hi Fediverse, we're Thunderbird, an #opensource #email client available for free on Linux, macOS and Windows. (And coming next year to Android. FINALLY, right?)

You can use Thunderbird for managing an unlimited number of mail accounts, calendars, newsgroup accounts, and RSS feeds. You can also chat using your @matrix account.

💙 LIKES: Open standards, privacy, freedom, customization.

🚫 DISLIKES: Proprietary code.

Nice to meet you 📩

97 comments
AB

@thunderbird
Glad to see you here.

Hey, I have always wanted to ask you this, so let me use this moment.

How come the Thunderbird doesn't have an out-of-office response feature? I understand there are some work arounds, but not a simple straight forward option to set it up. Many of us desparately seek it. And now that we are talking, could you also create a feature to schedule an email at a future date/time? I think that's among the most important features that email services must provide.

Daniel

@lash @thunderbird its a technological reason. No plain IMAP client can have it, because it would need to be running all the time. Some servers support sieve which allows it.

el lobi

@lash @thunderbird I use "Send Later" extension, for the latter.

AB

@lobi @thunderbird I tried this, but is running into an encryption issue. Apparently, its not just me. github.com/Extended-Thunder/se

Myk

@thunderbird Oooh! #thunderbird on #android would be great! Fairmail has all the functionality, but its interface is not great for non technical folks.

TK Whalen

@thunderbird
Can you download it on Samsung android and Kindle tablets?

Owlsys

@thunderbird @matrix Outstanding, glad to hear it's coming to Android!!!

Helen (She/Her)

@thunderbird @matrix I recently started using you (after Microsoft stopped supporting my email client), and I’m so pleased I can manage all md emails easily in one place for FREE! 😁

sabret00the

@thunderbird @matrix any chance of a progress report on the Android version?

Positivity

@thunderbird @matrix
Will there be additional support for tags? They’re one of my favorite TB features. ❤️

Russell Phillips

@thunderbird an Android client sounds interesting. I've been happily using Thunderbird on Linux for years.

DVNT Semicolon

@thunderbird @matrix do you have any plans to bring Thunderbird to iOS?

JCWasmx86

@thunderbird @matrix I miss you every time I have to use outlook😭 I like how compact everything is, how fast it launches and that it is by a trustworthy entity ;)

Shannon

@thunderbird @matrix My email client is here. Happy to see you Thunderbird.

John Morrison

@thunderbird I’m so happy that this project continues to live on. What a storied history!

captainbeef

@thunderbird @matrix hey fellas, will the android version have a snooze e-mail function built in?

SallyBlack

@thunderbird @matrix
This Android user can't wait for Thunderbird to finaally come to us. I miss it so much!

ryuga81

@thunderbird I'm using a cousin of yours, SeaMonkey, but an android client would be great :)

Dante

@thunderbird @matrix I’ve used see this for years on Linux. Glad to see you’re still kicking!

Thunderbird: Free Your Inbox

@cigarguru @matrix Heck yea, alive and thriving! Thanks for being part of the Thunderbird Community.

Stefan

@thunderbird @matrix Looking forward for Android client. Keep up the great job.

Hikarii

@thunderbird omg Thunderbird I still use u... cant believe u r on here...

Thunderbird: Free Your Inbox

@Hika Heck yea, alive and kicking across the Fediverse!

𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨🪐▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

@thunderbird Hi :thunderbird: team I've used :thunderbird: for years first with Windows Vista or 7 in 09 now with :linux: it's been rock solid! It's an essential download for me. I remember on Wikipedia it says :thunderbird: is used by the French Military that endorsement made me try it out!😂 Keep up the good work!👍🏻

𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨🪐▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

@thunderbird I don't know actually, you type in the name of the software with : at the front & : at the end, lower case no space. It's used here on the @fosstodon instance, others include :firefox: :libreoffice: :linux: :android: etc. A lot of us have these in our bios to exoress support for the software we use. Perhaps @fosstodon admins @kev & @mike know?

Thunderbird: Free Your Inbox

@UltimusShadow @fosstodon @kev @mike That's an exceptional feature. We should have landed on Fosstodon...

Paul Wilde
@thunderbird @UltimusShadow @fosstodon your instances admins can add it if you ask... hopefully :thunderbird:

looks like masto online has quite a limited set though
most other instances have a huge range
https://emojos.in/mastodon.online
Đł₴₵Ø₦₦Ɇ₵₮ɆĐ :verified:

@UltimusShadow @thunderbird Only problem is that it is a CPU/memory hawk on Linux. It cuts off hours of my laptpop battery life if I keep it open.

PanAmStyle

@thunderbird @matrix oooh, I remember Thunderbird from ages ago!

Antony Sheehan

@thunderbird @matrix

Hello I'm new is anybody there ?

Come over from twitter For a look👍

Does this place work the same as twitter?

Terrybernstein

@thunderbird
Interesting. Currently I sync TB calendar to Outlook.com. If I can use TB on Android I might not need to rely on TBSync. I shouldn't have to anyway, tbh. That functionality should be built in.

Willmot20

@thunderbird @matrix Hi Thunderbird team, i've been using Thunderbird as my email client for years now and promote it on my freesoftwareforstudents.org website since I started it. Kudos to you!

ScaleOvenStove

@thunderbird @matrix I just googled you and, yeah, some bad actor google ads?

Adrian Kosmaczewski

@thunderbird will you feature Mastodon integration one day? Like you have for chat or such. Or is there an extension for such functionality?

Janis La Couvée

@thunderbird @matrix of my gosh! Finally. As an Android user who is coming to the end of her Outlook software I can't wait.

Jwir3

@thunderbird @matrix This isn't meant to be a criticism, but didn't mozilla kill the Thunderbird email client a while back? Or was it just a shift of resources away from tb to ff?

Thunderbird: Free Your Inbox

@jwir3 @matrix it's a long and somewhat confusing history.

But this post from 2020 should fill in some of the blanks: blog.thunderbird.net/2020/01/t

As we get close to the end of 2022, we are thriving and can't wait for you to see what's next.

This will also give you some insight into the health of Thunderbird: blog.thunderbird.net/2022/05/t

Andy McGuire 🐕

@thunderbird @matrix oooo thunderbird is on here! Yes Please I would definitely like to follow.

Thunderbird: Free Your Inbox

@asjmcguire @matrix Thanks for that, Andy! Just holler if you have something on your mind.

Gary

@thunderbird @matrix I've been waiting for Thunderbird to expand to Android. My current android email client isn't as good as T-Bird.

Fenrir

@thunderbird @matrix I've been using Thunderbird for a while now and I'm really falling in love with it. I just wish it was a bit more user friendly and "good looking". It's the best in features, but falls a bit behind other email clients when it comes to the UI an UX, especially to non tech savvy people.
Regardless of that, it's still the best client I know, an it's cross platform.

Kara Shallenberg

@thunderbird @matrix oh hello! I currently use Mailplane on macOS because it plays nicely with both of my gmail accounts and my google calendar, but the dev says it’s gonna stop working soon (thanks google 🙄) so it’s nice to know of an opensource email client to try!

RetroFun.PL

@thunderbird @matrix Welcome thunderbird, my most reliable email backup tool :D

Night Bound

@thunderbird @matrix I wish you had more plugins available especially ones that are well maintained and update alongside the app.

Julien 🐧

@thunderbird nice to see you here :)
always have used thunderbird for my emails, perso and pro.. haven't found any other mail client that can compare to all its functionnalities <3

lproven

@freddyrh @thunderbird That's a good question. With the rapid rise in Mastodon's popularity, this seems like a desirable feature.

@Vivaldi does seem to have begun, but so far, it's basically just a button to open your homepage, nothing more.

dakkar

@lproven@social.vivaldi.net @freddyrh@mastodon.la well, remember that Mastodon is not the only (or even the best) ActivityPub implementation, and that not every other implementation shares the same client-to-server API…

atomicwrites

@thunderbird Coming to #android? No way! Currently using FairMail, but honestly the interface is pretty rough. And the other #foss option I'm aware of is K9 which is very old school and doesn't really cater to the archiving approach to email. I'm really excited to see what Thunderbird will bring.

DELETED

@atomicwrites
Fairmail, more like fairly average mail that would really like you to donate please
@thunderbird

Allan Paterson 🐟#FBPE #FBPPR

@thunderbird @matrix Well, this is great news! I use Thunderbird on my desktop and it is very good, I was told development had stopped but obviously not. Thank you, great product! I can highly recommend.

Caitlin mka Katie

@thunderbird
interesting feature with #Android...
but i'm a burned child.. on my windows it wasn't able for me to use IMAP
will there be improvements to use IMAP for android as my Windows laptop has retired and now i'm using Android devices only

It's Just Jenn 🏳️‍⚧️

@thunderbird @matrix I use Thunderbird whenever I'm given a choice, glad to see you here. Looking forward to seeing your Android version.

Thunderbird: Free Your Inbox

@Tweetfiction @matrix Thanks for choosing open source, James. And thanks for saying hello!

Stefan

Welcome @thunderbird into the Fediverse and good to know you're here too. 👋😉

@matrix

Fiona Gregory

@thunderbird @matrix
Hi Thunderbird
I use you for backing up my gmail account, thanks to the advice of askleo.com
Thanks for being there
Fiona

Bob Wyman

@thunderbird @matrix In addition to email, newsgroups, chat, etc. does Thunderbird currently support Mastodon?

Are Thunderbird's WebExtension mechanisms sufficiently powerful to enable developers to add a Mastodon or ActivityPub mode to Thunderbird?

Are you working on building ActivityPub or Mastodon support for Thunderbird?

Thestaroftheworlds

@thunderbird @matrix . Was it my imagination or did thunderbird stop getting updates at some point? Is this a new development? I still use the product but I swear it was abandoned. Am I wrong?

DELETED

@thunderbird @matrix
I want to remove Google search engine from my local thunderbird. Please tell me how to proceed in accomplishing this. Remember?

LIKES: Open standards, privacy, freedom, customization.

🚫 DISLIKES: Proprietary code.

runarcn

@thunderbird @matrix

> Dislikes: Proprietary code

Wanna be besties?

Jost :thisisfine: 🔥

@thunderbird @matrix
The matrix chat implementation really doesn't feel ready to ship yet. Maybe it should be flagged as beta or something. Just to adjust expectations, e.g. if I wouldn't use Thunderbird and would try that feature, I would probably delete Thunderbird immediately seeing how features are shipped and advertised even while being in such a poor state.

Sorry for the negativity, just my opinion. Using only the Mail feature I love Thunderbird so far.

@thunderbird @matrix
The matrix chat implementation really doesn't feel ready to ship yet. Maybe it should be flagged as beta or something. Just to adjust expectations, e.g. if I wouldn't use Thunderbird and would try that feature, I would probably delete Thunderbird immediately seeing how features are shipped and advertised even while being in such a poor state.

Graham Perrin

@alemann @thunderbird @matrix correct me, please, if I'm wrong: when I last looked at Thunderbird support for Matrix, it was still acknowledged as beta (or words to that effect).

In any case: last month's <matrix.org/blog/2023/09/matrix> is well worth reading. In particular:

"… As a result, the vast majority of the heavy lifting can be handled in matrix-rust-sdk, ensuring that the app layer can focus on UI rather than Matrix guts - and performance improvements (e.g. roomlist caching and timeline caching) can all be handled in one place to the benefit of all clients using the SDK.

"This is a huge breakthrough …".

@alemann @thunderbird @matrix correct me, please, if I'm wrong: when I last looked at Thunderbird support for Matrix, it was still acknowledged as beta (or words to that effect).

In any case: last month's <matrix.org/blog/2023/09/matrix> is well worth reading. In particular:

"… As a result, the vast majority of the heavy lifting can be handled in matrix-rust-sdk, ensuring that the app layer can focus on UI rather than Matrix guts - and performance improvements (e.g. roomlist caching...

Jost :thisisfine: 🔥

@grahamperrin @thunderbird @matrix
I didn't see such acknowledgement. Maybe I just overlooked it. The releases still contain beta it seems. I just felt like it could use another disclaimer pop-up or something to lead the expectations in a direction.

Agreed, that might change a lot. My expectations were partly because I recently tried Element X which is also in a beta state but seems much more stable and smooth. Well, it uses the matrix-rust-sdk already so that's probably why.

Graham Perrin

@alemann yep, Element X is, relatively, amazingly fast, but one of the known issues is, for me, a showstopper.

wiki.freebsd.org/Matrix#Client

@thunderbird @matrix

Graham Perrin

/me waits for #Thunderbird to launch, to see whether integral help mentions #Matrix … no integral help, full stop.

A web page opens, I find my way to <support.mozilla.org/kb/thunder>.

@thunderbird I agree with @evilham, a note re: beta would be nice.

#Matrix #Thunderbird

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