Thunderbird 2.0 email client goes gold

Mozilla today released the final version of Thunderbird 2, the next generation of the organization's open-source email client. Key new features include message tagging, message history, and a new function to search for content within messages, among numerous other enhancements.

The major new features, according to a Mozilla spokesperson, are:

• Message tagging -- users can organize emails by assigning tags like "From Mom" or "Weekend Projects" to easily track and search for information; users can choose from default tags -- such as Important, Personal, To-Do, Later, and Work -- or create their own custom tags; users can also add as many tags as they want to a message
  
  
• Message history – Thunderbird 2 offers message history navigation similar to Web browsing history navigation; users can move backward and forward through their messages and easily browse through their message history
  
  
• Search -- the find-as-you-type pane speeds up searches within displayed messages, and a quick search feature starts showing search results as soon as users begin typing search terms; additionally, Thunderbird 2 saves users time by allowing the storing of searches as folders and facilitating the rerun of saved searches by clicking on the saved search folder in the folder pane
  
  
• Easy access to Web mail services -- Thunderbird 2 lets users integrate and access popular Web mail services simply by entering their user names and passwords
  
  
• Customization -- users can customize Thunderbird 2 with hundreds of free add-ons that change the look, feel, and functionality of the email client to suit their tastes; users can also create their own message templates to save time
  

Other Thunderbird 2 enhancements, according to the spokesperson, include:

• Visual theme -- Thunderbird 2's theme and user interface have been updated to improve usability and maximize screen real estate
  
  
  Thunderbird 2 boasts an updated look and feel
  (Click for larger view)
  
• Advanced folder views -- customize the folder pane to show favorite, unread or recent folders
  
  
• Updates to the extension system -- the extension system has been updated to provide enhanced security and to allow for easier localization of extensions
  

Availability

Mozilla provides Thunderbird 2 for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X in a variety of languages. You can download Thunderbird 2 here.

Some additional screenshots, and an evaluation of Thunderbird 2 Beta 1 by DesktopLinux.com columnist Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, are available here.

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