Thunderbird vs Outlook?

[Tobi-5520]

I've been a Thunderbird user for the last 5 years now and out of a misplaced sense of nostalgia I fired up Outlook (07), thinking that it could prove a better option than Thunderbird, especially with regards to the calendar. I however have returned to TB with my tail between my legs. Some of the things that bugged me:

-The first thing I wanted to do was to add an auto bcc - I copy myself to Gmail on everything. This is only available as a paid version!
-Tabs in TB are excellent.
-Search in TB is better
-Extensions!
-Even the calendar - Lightning is a bit rough around the edges, but it was easier to link to my Gmail calendar than Outlook.

At this stage, there are two items that Outlook is better at than TB:
-The contact list is better
-I can sync my phone - but I have to connect to the computer to do this, since I am not connected to Exchange.

Don't get me wrong - I am not a Microsoft basher - I believe they have the best Office Suite around, but they also have the worst browser. I just want the best product for my needs. Also, let's take price out of the equation.

Or am I wrong???

 

[Antonf]

I tried Outlook 2010, and I went back to TB 2 immediately. I would LOVE to upgrade to TB 3, but I use one extension which is still not up to speed with TB 3. I can't think of a single reason to use Outlook!

 

[LazyLion]

I moved to Gmail completely. Now I'm not tied down to any particular PC for my e-mail. I got tired of dealing with the backup issues associated with e-mail clients.

 

[Terencek]

Thunderbird has one enormous advantage: it saves its emails in a format which can be read by anything which handles plain .txt files. Which means that however email clients change and evolve, you always have access to your archived mail without faffing around with readers and converters for, e.g., Outlook. Future-proof!

 

[Solitude]

I did the same as Garyvdh. Early last year I moved everything to Gmail. Before that I used Thunderbird and before that Outlook. Now all my email accounts are linked to Gmail and I can access it everywhere. Plus it's got a calender and one can upload files to Google Docs for safekeeping and another place where I can access files that I may need. I can't see myself moving back to a normal Windows application.

 

[Tobi-5520]

I did the same as Garyvdh. Early last year I moved everything to Gmail. Before that I used Thunderbird and before that Outlook. Now all my email accounts are linked to Gmail and I can access it everywhere. Plus it's got a calender and one can upload files to Google Docs for safekeeping and another place where I can access files that I may need. I can't see myself moving back to a normal Windows application.

I have done the same - Have 6 mail addresses that are all picked up by Gmail - I also copy myself on all mails and then Google serves nicely as an efficient backup. I do have to have an offline mail version available as I travel a lot and internet is not always available. Google is also nice in the sense that its calendar syncs with both Thunderbird and my Blackberry in the background. If I had always on internet, Google would be a good option. The only drawback is that the Google calendar will only be created on the Google email address and not the alternatives.

 

[LazyLion]

If you need a nice place to send your e-mails from Gmail to backup somewhere else... look at http://www.inbox.com/

I just copy all the e-mails there to serve as an alternative online backup.

But yeah... Google has all the tools that I need... have not used an e-mail client since 2005.

 

[ponder]

If you need a nice place to send your e-mails from Gmail to backup somewhere else... look at http://www.inbox.com/

I just copy all the e-mails there to serve as an alternative online backup.

Gary,

Can you explain a bit more please. Is this a automated procedure that can run from gmail and can you access the backed up emails online via simple browser interface?

 

[LazyLion]

Gary,

Can you explain a bit more please. Is this a automated procedure that can run from gmail and can you access the backed up emails online via simple browser interface?

Yes, you can automate it.

1) Open your Gmail.
2) Click on Settings at the top right of the page.
3) Click on the Forwarding and POP/IMAP Tab.
4) Click on the Add a Forwarding Address button
5) You will have to verify that you own the address you are forwarding to by using a verification code sent to that e-mail.
6) Once the new address have been added you can then select the radio button for "Forward a copy of incoming mail to..."
7) Also select "keep Gmail's copy in the Inbox" so that you will be able to use Gmail as normal.
8) If you are using Inbox.com you have to log into that account once every three months.

The free accounts at Inbox.com only allow you 1 Gig at a time, so when one account fills up you will have to make another.
Or you could use your ISP's or hosting provider's e-mail to create an offline account in an e-mail client... and then once a week just download all your e-mail there as an offline backup.

 

[Raithlin]

I moved to Gmail completely. Now I'm not tied down to any particular PC for my e-mail. I got tired of dealing with the backup issues associated with e-mail clients.

I did the same as Garyvdh. Early last year I moved everything to Gmail. Before that I used Thunderbird and before that Outlook. Now all my email accounts are linked to Gmail and I can access it everywhere. Plus it's got a calender and one can upload files to Google Docs for safekeeping and another place where I can access files that I may need. I can't see myself moving back to a normal Windows application.

+1. I have a GMail account, and a Google Apps domain. Both work beautifully - and I can sync my (Nokia) phone contacts OTA, as well as email (both accounts).

 

[ponder]

8) If you are using Inbox.com you have to log into that account once every three months.

The free accounts at Inbox.com only allow you 1 Gig at a time, so when one account fills up you will have to make another.

Ok, scrap that idea then, not feasible. Thanks for the info though.