2. An INTRODUCTION TO THUNDERBIRD
April 2018

3. What is thunderbird & why are we interested?
Thunderbird is a client-based app
Client-based means that the app and the s sent and received are stored on YOUR computer rather than on than being on “some computer somewhere” accessed through your browser
Windows Live Mail – our long time recommendation for a client based app – is no longer supported by Microsoft & we are seeing more & more operational issues
We therefore felt it was time to look at an alternative recommendation

4. This is thunderbird

5. Why thunderbird?
To make a recommendation we looked at the following criteria:
Members typical needs
The source
Ease of operation
The price
We considered about a dozen possibilities – some free, some at a variety of costs

6. Why thunderbird? It is free
It has all the features most commonly used by members including:
Personalized folder structure
Handles multiple accounts
Calendar function
Handles “group” s
Thunderbird is from Mozilla – the maker of the respected Firefox Browser
Easy to use –BUT there is a learning curve!
It is free

7. What are we going to look at today?
Installing Thunderbird & setting up your accounts
Basic functions
Setting up Folders
Contacts & Group addresses
Calendaring – Tasks & Events
Importing contacts & s from your “old” app
Thunderbird is very comprehensive – start with the basics & then explore – you will find it rewarding!

8. Where do I get thunderbird?

9. Setting up your account[s]

10. Setting up your account[s]

11. WRITING AN E-MAIL - BASIC
The following slide illustrates a simplified view that is quite useful

14. Incoming mail

15. WHEN IT’S BEEN READ
There are multiple options for an that has been read – right click it to see them
Note that several have options indicated by the arrow

16. creating your folders

17. creating your folders
You may want to create your folders BEFORE importing stored s because although they will be readily available you may want to reallocate them from the special folder used during the import
You can create sub-folders by the same method – right click on an existing folder

18. CONTACTS [ADDRESS BOOK] & GROUP ADDRESSES [list]
Open Address Book
Select

19. CONTACTS [ADDRESS BOOK] & GROUP ADDRESSES [list]
NEW CONTACT
NEW LIST

20. TASKS & EVENTS [CALENDARING]
Thunderbird offers separate “calendars” for Tasks [To Do List?] and Events
For most of us the differences are not significant

21. Multiple calendars option

22. TASKS

23. EVENTS

24. EVENTS

27. Importing contacts & stored e-mails
You will want to import your contacts & stored s from your current program
The first thing to do is CLEAN THEM UP! Get rid of any that are no longer needed – BE RUTHLESS!
This especially true for your Inbox and Sent folders
The first ACTUAL step is to export them from the current program – will have to find out where that is done
However we need to look first at importing to understand what to look for when exporting

28. Importing contacts into thunderbird

29. Importing contacts into thunderbird
A little care is needed for this step
Note that “Outlook” refers to the client based app found in Office Professional – NOT the Browser version that used to be Hotmail
In most cases we would use the text file option indicated since this export option exists in most apps
The next slide shows how to create the needed file in Windows Live Mail

30. Exporting contacts from windows live mail

31. Exporting contacts from windows live mail
Check the fields you want to export – this will depend on how you used “Contacts”
Click Finish

32. WE ARE NOW GOING TO PICK UP FROM THE EARLIER SLIDES
Importing contacts
WE ARE NOW GOING TO PICK UP FROM THE EARLIER SLIDES

33. Importing contacts into thunderbird

34. Importing contacts into thunderbird
Reminder - “Outlook” refers to the client based app found in Office Professional – NOT the Browser version that used to be Hotmail
As seen previously, in most cases – as in our Windows Live Mail example - we would use the text file option indicated since this is available in most apps

35. Importing contacts
CLICK ON THE EXPORTED FILE
MATCH THE FIELDS

36. Importing STORED e-mails
As installed Thunderbird has limited capability to import e- mails
Click Tools>Import, check “Mail”, click Next
Reminder – Outlook & Outlook Express do NOT refer to the current Browser based apps

37. Importing STORED e-mails
There is an add-on [free download] that provides this capability for other apps
We have developed an Instruction Sheet for this BUT you need to be aware that [a] the sheet covers only Windows Live Mail – other systems may vary – and [b] what appears on-screen during the procedure may not 100% match what is written
MAY WANT TO CALL HOME HELP