# Looking for a good email client



## Blake Bowden (May 1, 2011)

Besides spending $$$ for Outlook, what other emails clients do you recommend? I currently use Thunderbird.


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## owls84 (May 1, 2011)

The only one I have used that are worth anything is Thunderbird and Outlook. Outlook is what I use at work and home but I have used Thunderbird in the past. We get an amazing deal on Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 (similar to Ultimate). We get it for $21 with our Lockheed Discount but I can only get one copy per version and I use that for me.


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## Christopher Parker (May 1, 2011)

Being somewhat of a tech snob, I find it irritating that I cannot find anything wrong with windows live mail. 

Other than that, I use thunderbird.


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## MikeMay (May 1, 2011)

I use Thunderbird exclusively now.  I used Outlook Express for a long time...


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## Tony Siciliano (May 1, 2011)

I quit email clients years ago.  I live on the web now with Gmail.  I no longer worry about losing everything if the computer crashes.  And - I can access that email from almost anywhere...


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## JohnnyFlotsam (May 1, 2011)

I've been through all of them worth a look. You're already on Tbird. Unless your mail server is Zimbra, in which case you might want to consider their desktop client, don't waste your time.


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## Traveling Man (May 1, 2011)

I use Outlook Express; you can not beat the price plus you can back up all of you data including phone books to yahoo etc. Even for my speed challenged Mac!


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## Bill Lins (May 2, 2011)

Tony Siciliano said:


> I quit email clients years ago.  I live on the web now with Gmail.  I no longer worry about losing everything if the computer crashes.  And - I can access that email from almost anywhere...


 
Amen! I use both my ISP's WebMail service & Hotmail (Windows Live). Outlook Express & Outlook PO'ed me a long time ago.


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## JTM (May 2, 2011)

mail.google.com


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## Michaelstedman81 (May 2, 2011)

I bought Microsoft Office Home and Business 2010 which has Outlook on it.  I use Outlook and love it.  Until this thread opened up, I haven't heard about Thunderbird.  My questionsare these:  

1-  Since I spent all that money on the Microsoft package primarily to have Outlook 2010, should I even try to go for Thunderbird even though I don't have any real complaints about Outlook?

2-  What does Thunderbird have or do that is better than Outlook?

3-  I just went to the website for Thunderbird and it said it was a free download.  How much does it cost to use after a "trial" period?

4-  How safe is Thunderbird when it comes to getting emails with viruses and all that in it?


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## kwilbourn (May 2, 2011)

Michaelstedman81 said:


> 1- Since I spent all that money on the Microsoft package primarily to have Outlook 2010, should I even try to go for Thunderbird even though I don't have any real complaints about Outlook?



I wouldn't worry about it.  Maybe try out Thunderbird, for your purposes it could replace Outlook in the future.  But if the money is already spent, Outlook has a much larger feature set, especially with regard to contact management and calendar features.



Michaelstedman81 said:


> 2- What does Thunderbird have or do that is better than Outlook?



It's free.  It sets up really easy for popular email services, has fewer security holes than Microsoft's offerings typically, runs on Mac OS, Linux, or Windows.  I don't use it simply because my job requires I use Outlook and my personal email is GMail.  



Michaelstedman81 said:


> 3- I just went to the website for Thunderbird and it said it was a free download. How much does it cost to use after a "trial" period?



Never a cost.  At my job, we have over 100 Thunderbird users.  They use email very minimally and it was perfect for their needs.  



Michaelstedman81 said:


> 4- How safe is Thunderbird when it comes to getting emails with viruses and all that in it?



In most cases, just as safe or safer than Outlook.  Most virus filtering is a function of either your email provider or your desktop antivirus product or some combination of the two.

Hope that helps.


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## kwilbourn (May 2, 2011)

For work email, I have to use Outlook.  It is integrated with a lot of our web-driven systems.  For personal use, I just use Google's gmail.  If I'm on my work computer or home desktop, I use a Chrome Application shortcut to run it as a standalone app.  On my Mac laptop, I use Apple's mail instead.


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## Bro. Brad Marrs (May 2, 2011)

I use gmail as well. I actually signed up for a free Google Apps account, which lets me use my own domain name with gmail's client. Not to mention a calendar, contacts, and document repository shared for the entire family.

Here are old, but still relevant instructions for setting up Google Apps with your own domain name.


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## Michaelstedman81 (May 2, 2011)

kwilbourn said:


> Hope that helps.




Wow...Thanks a lot, Brother.  That was a lot of useful information


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## jschlieve (May 3, 2011)

*gmail*

I use gmail for all personal email, it an sysnc your contacts your calendar. Near perfect.


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## relapse98 (May 3, 2011)

Pine or the newer rewrite, Alpine. I've used pine for 17 years and I don't see myself changing anytime soon. It probably won't meet your needs as it's text based, but I'm a creature of habit.


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## kwilbourn (May 3, 2011)

relapse98 said:


> Pine or the newer rewrite, Alpine. I've used pine for 17 years and I don't see myself changing anytime soon. It probably won't meet your needs as it's text based, but I'm a creature of habit.



Wow, I haven't seen Pine even mentioned in forever it seems like.  I'm sure you are by no means the only remaining user, and if it fits your needs I don't see why you would ever need to change.


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## JohnnyFlotsam (May 3, 2011)

If you like Outlook, there's certainly no reason to abandon it. It is, arguably, the best program in the MS Office suite, especially if you have some poor sod who is willing and able to keep your Microsoft Exchange Server running, but that's another thread...

Thunderbird is FOSS (free open source software). There's no "trial period" so you get it all right out of the box. It is one of the better mail clients at spotting dodgy emails all by itself, but still, that should not take the place of a good desktop AV program that will monitor your email stream in addition to the local file system. 

Where Tbird really shines though, is in the add-ons department. If you have a need for something special in mail client functionality, odds are it's out there. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/


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## JohnnyFlotsam (May 3, 2011)

So there are not one, but _two _other pine users out there. Make that four - I know a guy in Ohio... 
Imagine that. And I thought we were all but extinct. 

Now you kids, get off our lawn!
:laugh:


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