Best email client

[solo]

Pete,

Thunderbird works great generally. They have this somewhat annoying auto-setup, which may be why your imap mail might not be working. Try setting those up manually (cancel the auto-setup when it starts and use the manual setup.)
I use the lightning add-on for my calendar, similar to outlook.

Andy

Andy, thanks, I was able to get my solosplace to work by using POP3 and manually setting the outgoing server.

[solo]

So I have thunderbird on my main work machine, can I get and sync it with my laptop?

[andybot]

It'll sync best if you are using imap. With pop3, it'll download your messages from the server, but the default is that they will be deleted off the server, making them unavailable on any other machine. (You can set it to keep messages on the server - thus making them available for download anywhere - but only the inbox. With imap, you see the same folders and messages at any location.)

You might have to re-do the setup to get imap. You have to be quick to cancel the auto-setup, once it defaults to pop3, I don't believe you can change it afterwards. It's rather annoying unfortunately.

[notareal]

MS Outlook 2010 is a pretty nice email client[*] for MS Exchange server (and for any available imap/pop based email server, including gmail).
Similar UI is offered for web-based access with Outlook Web App for Exchange Online (and with stand alone Exchange server with Outlook Web App, but it's probably too great investment for a small company, so Exchange online is the way to go). Just as a reference, we are about to outsource ~13000 student email accounts to office365 (and Exchange online) http://community.office365.com/en-us/default.aspx

If you want your different computers to be kept on sync, use imap protocol with your email server (or service), keep mails at the server.

[*] Stand alone application, not web based app

[Ecuadorian]

Give this one a try:

http://www.postbox-inc.com/index.php

For Gmail and Google Apps accounts with your own domain, setup is fully automatic.

[Jeff Hammond]

Give this one a try:

http://www.postbox-inc.com/index.php

For Gmail and Google Apps accounts with your own domain, setup is fully automatic.

oh.. nice.. that's pretty much what most mac users seem to rave about as the alternative to mail.app..
didn't realize they made it for windows now too..

[utiler]

I very interested in this thread; for some time now since dropping Outlook I have been using Google Apps for Business which allows me to add some apps from the marketplace but I am yet to be 100% happy.

I don't really mind the gmail UI and ability to file things; I've even bought an annual sub to ActiveInbox which is a funky little gadget that helps keep clutter out of your inbox. It also offers export to calendar which is a little light on but ok....

Tasks are anther thing that I need to intergrate with email and calendar. Google tasks are as useless as tits on a bull IMO and I've had a go at HiTask, Remember the Milk, Tooldedo and a few iPhone apps that sync but still not real solution. Have been using Chrome with a few gadgets but have also tried Firefox which seems to have a comprehensive extensions list but I haven't found the right mix.

This is probably getting a little of topic Pete but I think for many of us who freelance and have to manage our time to the max a system like this would be neat:

Email - ability to link to calendar and tasks. Export to calendar and automatically set reminders, create tasks for follow-ups to responses that havent replied by a pre-determined time/date; again with reminders. Assign to projects (or folders) relevant to what is appropriate.
Tasks - set to projects, priority, date, and reminders
Projects - set projects with priorities, show assigned tasks, etc
Calendar - ability to switch from diary whether it be daily, weekly or months to see what's on for a particular day to a flow chart that shows what projects are required to be done in order of priority. Ability to drag and drop order of priority if needed.

I know there's a multitude of web based project management tools out there but I can't see the benefit of a monthly subscription which in many cases are quite absurd!!

I stumbled upon Pagico http://www.pagico.com the other day which requires only a licence purchase and the only thing it is missing it appears is EMAIL!!!!

Anyway, I might try Thunderbird and see what comes of it.

[Pilou]

[andybot]

Anyway, I might try Thunderbird and see what comes of it.

I highly recommend the "lightning" calendar add-on to Thunderbird- it really has been a perfect substitute for MS Outlook calendar. (With non of the MS security issues...)

[utiler]

Thanks Andy, I'll look out for it.

[David_H]

for a long time I used Eudora (http://www.eudora.com/) I enjoyed it. I just stopped using it cuz I moved over to Google, for my private home email, so I don't know how great it is now, but you might wanna give it a looksie.


I dont know. . .is that a client?

[Roland Joseph]

I thought people stopped using client side mail 10 years ago??........You can still get client side?...What ever would you want it for....seriously?

[Jeff Hammond]

I thought people stopped using client side mail 10 years ago??........You can still get client side?...What ever would you want it for....seriously?

as opposed to what? web browser based email?

[notareal]

I thought people stopped using client side mail 10 years ago??........You can still get client side?...What ever would you want it for....seriously?

Client side email is now stronger than ever, naturally with imap or some smart push mail (Google Sync, Active Sync & Direct Push, ...), as every smart phone have one (and most of others too). But if your "email" system is facebook messaging, then we might talk different language

[Gaieus]

What's wrong with Facebook messaging?

[dale]

I don't know. It seems like you just get used to one system and they eliminate it or make it bloatware.
Maybe we should go retro, you know, a calendar book, a pen, and those zippy pocket protectors ( that radical stripped shirt doesn't hurt either)

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