Reviewing Open Source Software: Mozilla Thunderbird

I'm not sure why, but I had a hard time finding a third Open Source program to review.  It seemed like everything I downloaded was full of things I did not want to put on my machine.  Things like toolbars, homepage changes, third party applications, and so on.  That is my major complaint about Open Source software.  It often tries to push all this extra garbage on you.  The junk is even packaged in a way that makes it look you are agreeing to the terms of use when you are actually agreeing to have "bonus" software installed. 

I finally broke down and quit trying to find something new and different that none of my other classmates would be reviewing.  Instead, I downloaded Mozilla Thunderbird.  Boy was I pleased; no extra toolbars, no changing my homepage, just the program.  When I launched it for the first time, it ask for my full name, email address, and password.  Then just like Outlook 2010 it went out to the Internet, verified my email address and password, and automatically configured itself.  The next thing I knew, it was downloading my Gmail.

Much like Open Office, if you know Microsoft Outlook, it is just going to take a little fumbling around to figure out how to do things.  It's not difficult to use at all.  It's just a little, and I mean very little, different.  I would not hesitate to recommend Thunderbird to anyone who wanted a desktop application for email.  I am a thrifty person my nature, but I also want quality.  Thunderbird delivers on both fronts.

Thunderbird offers features like the ability to create and organize your mail in multiple folders.  It can handle RSS feeds.  There is a good junk mail filter. It supports many mail services.  Whether it's a Microsoft Exchange server, POP, or IMAP email, Thunderbird can handle it.  It even comes with security features like digital signing, encryption, and a built-in phishing detector.  It also will not have a problem with HTML based emails.  Thunderbird does not just offer a basic desktop email client, it comes with all the bells and whistles you could want.

If I did not own Microsoft Office 2010 and 365, I'd use Thunderbird for my email needs.  The only feature I found missing is the ability to send a fax.  There maybe a way to force it use the Microsoft's Print to Fax feature, but it would have to have access to Windows TAPI engine so another work around like an Internet email to fax service would probably be easier.  All in all, I think Thunderbird is an awesome product and would suggest it to anyone.