Ubuntu ships with Mozilla Firefox as their web browser, and Evolution as their mail client. However, this poll in the Ubuntu forums clearly shows that a majority of Ubuntu’s user base forum regulars prefer Thunderbird:
I think Ubuntu should change the default mail client to Thunderbird, especially now when the Thunderbird developers team up with Eudora to make the mail client even better. Asa Dotzler summarizes it in a good way:
The next version of Eudora will ship on top of the Mozilla Thunderbird framework, with some modifications to accommodate users who are familiar with the Eudora user interface. The two teams will be working together in the Mozilla CVS repository and both products will benefit from that collaboration. The two products serve different user bases today so there will be distinct product releases, but it’s still a big win for both.
Think about it for a second. The Eudora developers and the Thunderbird developers working together will result in the most concentrated group of experts on how mail should work on the face of the planet. I think that’s damn cool.
While I’m not sure about the different user bases of the products, I’m pretty sure this is a good thing for the future Thunderbird development.
by Cheski
12 Oct 2006 at 13:13
I think some people tend to forget that Evolution has more to offer than only e-mail:
- calendar features
- task lists
- exchange interoperability
- etc. etc.
by glandium
12 Oct 2006 at 13:18
I guess you meant icedove instead of thunderbird, right ?
by Dao
12 Oct 2006 at 13:32
> I think some people tend to forget that Evolution has more to offer than only e-mail
I think you forget that most people don’t need more than e-mail. On the other hand, what stops you from installing Evolution?
> I guess you meant icedove instead of thunderbird, right ?
I’m pretty sure he meant Thunderbird.
by David Tenser
12 Oct 2006 at 15:02
Cheski, I’m fully aware of the features Evolution has compared to Thunderbird. Exchange interoperability is probably a huge argument for Evolution in the corporate world. However, that doesn’t change the fact that most of Ubuntu’s user base prefer Thunderbird.
In fact, to me personally, the list of features you mention are what I think Thunderbird is lacking. Hopefully, Lightning will shape up and become integrated enough to be a compelling alternative to Evolution for those who need calendar functionality.
by Maimon Mons
12 Oct 2006 at 15:08
Icedove is a nice email client, but I think evolution has more name recognition.
But seriously, evolution does a lot that thunderbird just doesn’t do yet. Maybe in the future, once the Eudora integration is complete and the naming issue is put to rest.
by Chris Cunningham
12 Oct 2006 at 19:15
It amazes me they haven’t already done it. I don’t know a single person who uses Evolution as a mail client.
– Chris
by Tom
13 Oct 2006 at 04:23
I was using Thunderbird for a while, but I switched to Evolution. Evolution feels better integrated into Gnome and it can deal better with large mailboxes.
I would be using Galeon or Epiphany if it weren’t for the numerous plug-ins I’m relying on for Firefox.
by Nikos Komatselis
13 Oct 2006 at 21:55
The important thing for Ubuntu is to try to offer an unbiased choice for both applications. I find fruitless a dispute Thunderbird v Evolution, who must be the primadonna Email client. The best news for me would be to read a similar announcement like the one we read the last days. This time it could be between the united team of Mozilla+Eudora with the Evolution team. THIS WOULD REALLY BE GOOD NEWS FOR ALL OF US SIMPLE USERS.
by Mario
15 Oct 2006 at 10:41
After all the copyright trouble Mozilla has caused with Firefox for Debian & Ubuntu, I don’t expect a single Mozilla application to make it into a default choice on this or any similar distro.
by Peter
20 Oct 2006 at 13:45
I’ve been willing to do this a long time ago, but since I cannot find a nice Evolution to Thunderbird export-import module I haven’t…
by trey
25 Apr 2007 at 20:16
It’s all about licensing. Thunderbird is not as “free” as some would hope. I can’t see GNOME making their preferred email client a non-free one. Remember why Debian made Icedove and Iceweasel instead of just sticking them in the non-free repository.
It’s a shame that Mozilla is so restricting.