Review Format Example

Email programs today are a much more sophisticated than they used to be.  In addition to simply sending and receiving email, they now can manage your contacts and calendar, read news groups and RSS newsfeeds, and even integrate with various web-based mail systems like GMail and Hotmail.  MS Outlook revolutionized email and made it more user friendly, but there are now programs available that don't add bloat to your system and are much more secure.

Mozilla Thunderbird  is a free open source POP and IMAP email client developed by Mozilla.org, the same folks who brought you Firefox.  Feature-wise it sits somewhere between Outlook Express and Outlook which means that it offers an upgrade to Express users and a downgrade to those who use the more advanced PIM features of Outlook.  Further features can be added through free extensions.  Notable among these is Webmail (Download link below), an extension that allows POP3 access to webmail services operated by Yahoo, Hotmail, Lycos, MailDotCom, Gmail and Libero.  Thunderbird email files can be indexed by the Google, Yahoo! and Copernic desktop search programs.

Outlook Express users should seriously consider switching.  You’ll be rewarded with a more advanced product including built-in spam filtering, built-in RSS reader,  message color coding, fast email search, anti-phishing measures, spell check as you type, inbox filters, Kerberos authentication, automatic updates and the ability to view your mail in conversational threads.  On top of that, the product is more secure than Outlook Express and unlike the latter, is still being actively developed.  Switching is made easier by the fact that Thunderbird looks and works similar to Outlook Express.  Tools within Thunderbird also allow you to easily import your Outlook Express account settings and stored email.  If you need assistance there is an excellent guide from Mozilla available for download in the "Product Specifications" section below.

If you want an alternative to Thunderbird then try Foxmail.  Despite the name it is not related to Firefox, but comes out of China.  It's an impressive product with features matching or exceeding Thunderbird and it's also really easy to use.  My only real beef is the quality of the help files.  Yes, they have been translated to English but rather poorly.  So poorly that they are actually quite amusing.  Also, Foxmail lacks support for the IMAP protocol which may be a turn off for some people.  If you don't need IMAP and are savvy enough to figure out the program yourself, Foxmail is worthy of consideration.  It is a top product with eight million users world-wide and is a real alternative to Thunderbird.  If you need help there's a good FAQ available in the "Product Specifications" Section.  

Shane Diamond suggested I take a look at DreamMail, and I'm glad I did.  DreamMail has a lot of the features of Foxmail but goes a step further.  What makes it unique is the ability to set up both standard POP3 accounts as well as access to web-based email accounts from within its interface.  This is an excellent feature for those who have both a POP3 as well as a GMail or Hotmail account and frankly, it blew me away.  The program is also skinnable, and extremely customizable.  Like Foxmail, the current version of DreamMail is limited because it only supports POP3 and has no support yet for IMAP, but there is talk about adding that into the next version.  It has a great support forum in multiple languages and overall is an excellent product.

This software category is maintained by volunteer editor Joe Bennett. Registered site visitors can contact Joe by clicking here.

Product Details:

Mozilla Thunderbird
Website:  http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/
Download page:  http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/
Author:  Mozilla Corp.
Version:  2.0.0.9
Date: 12/3/2007
Download file size: 6.4 MB
License: Freeware - Mozilla Public License
Operating systems supported: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS-X, Various Linux Distros
64 Bit version available: No, this program will not run in a 64 bit environment
Portable version available: No
Other languages supported: Many - see here:  http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/all.html
Additional software required: None
Other relevant information:

• Thunderbird Extensions:  https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird
• Webmail Plugin:   http://webmail.mozdev.org/index.html
• Guide for Migrating from Outlook to Thunderbird:  http://opensourcearticles.com/introduction_to_thunderbird
   

• FoxMail English FAQ:  http://www.hazeleger.net/psjs_faqs/index.html
• Note:  If after installing, the program comes up in Chinese, all you have to do is delete the file chinese.lgb in the installation folder. 
• Developer's website is in Chinese.

DreamMail