Thunderbird 3 released

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Mozilla have released the long awaited next version of Thunderbird.
Thunderbird 3 introduces tabbed email, which is a similar concept to tabbed browsing that you see in many browsers.

For more details about Thunderbird 3 see Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0 Release Notes

Localized versions are available from http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/thunderbird/all.html

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Thanks Tony. Got it!

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Thanks. Downloaded and installed. The new look and features will take some getting used to!

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Thanks. Installing it now

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Thanks Tony. Downloading now …

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Been using Thunderbird for quite some time now…..I love the new mail notification feature…..It behaves similar to outlook in that regard. Cheers

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I too am exploring, learning about the new features and, I’m afraid, also struggling with the “loss” of at least one feature. I use the number of messages in folders in the left pane to manage and housekeep my message folders (see attachment). It’s MISSING in version 3. I found this page with an answer, albeit requiring a little monkeying with an addon to make it work with version 3 (see second attachment).

[indent]Expanded columns missing from TB3?[/indent]

You have to edit the .xpi file (an .rdf file therein), save it IN THE XPI file and THEN install it with Thunderbird. As you can see from the first attachment, I got it to work. If anyone needs assistance, post here and we’ll walk through it together.

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You have to edit the .xpi file (an .rdf file therein), save it IN THE XPI file and THEN install it with Thunderbird. As you can see from the first attachment, I got it to work. If anyone needs assistance, post here and we’ll walk through it together.

It is better to change the em:maxversion to 3.0.*
If you change it to 3.0, when 3.0.1 is released the extension will no longer be listed as compatible. Using 3.0.* will ensure that it is listed as compatible for future security/stability releases for Thunderbird 3.0

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Thanks Tony! As I’m a “hacker” in such matters, I didn’t know I could do that and I don’t know if it’s too late or not. Can I re-install the addon if I go back and make that change?

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Can I re-install the addon if I go back and make that change?

You can make the change and re-install the add-on, it will replace the currently installed version.

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Thanks Tony! I’ll git-r-done…

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I have a question about Thunderbird.I do use it but I have a huge collection of email stationary I made and others made as well.With my OE they are saved as eml.I can not see where I can use all my stats with Thunderbird since it doesnt support eml stats.
Any suggestions?

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I have a question about Thunderbird.I do use it but I have a huge collection of email stationary I made and others made as well.With my OE they are saved as eml.I can not see where I can use all my stats with Thunderbird since it doesnt support eml stats.
Any suggestions?

There is an addon for Thunderbird Stationary here but it is NOT (yet?) compatible with Thunderbird 3.0

[indent]Stationery :: Add-ons for Thunderbird[/indent]

PS I’ve never tried it so I can’t comment on its effectiveness.

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I just discovered that the “trick” I used in the earlier post to modify an .RDF file within the .XPI file also worked in another of my favorite TB addons. I have been using one called Slideshow :: Add-ons for Thunderbird and TB 3 said it’s not compatible. I had been using version 1.1 and at that URL you can see that the current (allegedly incompatible) version is 1.2

I downloaded it and modified the RDF file to make the max version say 3.0.* and lo and behold the Slideshow addon DOES still open attached images in emails.

I don’t know how “risky” this monkey business is that I’ve done, but I can always drop back later if I need to.

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I’m a long time Thunderbird user (and fan!) but I am very disappointed with version 3. While there are some nice new features, improvements and added functionality in this release that will benefit many users, I never expected to take advantage of all of them. Tabbed messaging? Yawn. Improved search? Ho hum.

There are at least two changes, however, that defy belief.

Like Big Al, I cannot understand why the total message count for each folder is not displayed in the folder pane. This is something that really should be baked into the basic release. Displaying the total message count for the current folder on the status line is not enough. Yes, there is an “add on” to correct this defect, but I doubt that most users will be aware of it. Of those that are, I don’t think many of them will have the skill or the fortitude to delve into the innards of Thunderbird to implement the changes (modify an .RDF file within the .XPI file???).

The other bone-headed move was to eliminate the compact header option for messages. Now, a whole vertical inch of screen real estate is wasted to tell me that the message I am staring at was sent ‘to you’. Well, duh! I already know that. All this addressing information is already displayed on the screen. With all the resulting white space, I guess they thought it was a great idea to fill the rest of the space with message disposition buttons.

What were they thinking?

/rant off

There… I feel better already!

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What were they thinking?
There… I feel better already!

Not only that, but I just discovered this morning that one of my utility programs (now defunct but still usable) that I’ve written about elsewhere, Smiley Pad, doesn’t work in TB 3 and it DID work in version(s) 2.x…

After posting this message, I’m gonna try re-installing the previous version over the top of 3 to see if it will do so. I don’t want to lose all my YEARS of emails, so I’m glad I’ve got last night’s backup to fall back on if this doesn’t work. Bad move, Mozilla!

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Just to complete the thought, I successfully re-installed version 2.0.0.23 without losing any of my mail! I guess I’m trying NOT to fault Mozilla for trying, but the first thing I did when I installed 3.0 was to turn off their new Smart Folders. I have four email accounts and I didn’t want to see all the Inboxes, Trash, etc. in one place. When I want to see or use one of the three secondary accounts, I can click it.

In spite of the fact that most will scoff at my rationale, I can’t understand why an updated program negates the ability of a previously functioning program (Smiley Pad). I shouldn’t have to take that without objecting or having some explanation of why it happened. What in the world did Moailla change that causes some peripheral program to no longer work?

Microsoft did the same thing to Smiley Pad with Vista and now Windows 7 and, in order to get that ONE program to work, I have to TURN OFF the Windows 7 UAC? It should be “against the laws of computer decency” to kill the performance of a previously functioning program without at least an explanation that is easily and publicly seen.

OK, now my rant is done also!

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I just keep reminding myself that software programmers are “a little different” than most of us. 😉

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Re: [post=’810581′]My post about Smiley Pad.[/post]

I’ve been posting in the Mozilla Thunderbird forum about my problem with Smiley Pad and got a reply from someone who says SP works for him in TB 3. Just can’t figure out where we have different settings because on a re-install of TB 3 I STILL can’t get Smiley Pad to work.

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I installed Thunderbird 3 last week but it is sooo slowww. When I open a message that my have several pics or a video file it takes several minutes before I see it. Am I doing something wrong? If not, I will go back to the latest version of TBird 2, which worked great.

Any advice would be appreciated.

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Just trying out the great TB version 3.

I’ve exported/imported a Pegasus Folder of about 1,000 emails but some inline images don’t display. A template appears and the filename is listed on the bottom of the screen as an attachment.

When I double click it, I get the usual windows “Open with…” but the “Do this automatically…” box is Greyed out !

See attached pic.

Confused,
–Bob.

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Bob,

You can change the way Thunderbird opens attachments with the Options settings found under Tools->Options->Attachments.

From there you can select the type of file and the appropriate action to take. If you do not like the default being used to open the pictures you can change the setting to “Always Ask”

Hope this helps!!!

Bob

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