4 ms·

I use Thunderbird - The only desktop client which has both Windows/Linux versions (with identical UIs), doesn't use Electron, and doesn't need you to make an on

I use Thunderbird - The only desktop client which has both Windows/Linux versions (with identical UIs), doesn't use Electron, and doesn't need you to make an online account for it. (I'm looking at you, MailSpring!) And the experience is... not that great for me. There doesn't seem to be a way to view email conversations cleanly, and the whole app seems a bit bloated. I really wish someone made a cross-platform email client that just simply works - I would gladly pay money for it.

johnchristopher 8y ago
Have you tried Postbox https://www.postbox-inc.com/ https://www.postbox-inc.com/ ? It's based on Thunderbird, funded and staffed by former members of Mozilla.
- salasrod 8y ago
  Postbox does not have a Linux version. That kills it for me.
- soulofmischief 8y ago
  Some thoughts: The tagline "for busy professionals, like you." immediately made exit the page without thinking. It could be the best product in the world but I'm not going to use a product that treats me with such a patronizing attitude. And whatever genius decided to hide the pricing behind another page doesn't understand their market. The price is the first and only thing I care about if we're talking about paid desktop clients. Everything else is secondary. And they might as well put the big honking "$40 per license" pricing right there at the top instead of further down the fishing rod. Anyone who considers that a worthwhile deal is going to pay it anyway. It's not a bad deal for a lifetime license. However many customers would probably like something more than a 30-day free trial without a lifetime commitment. Offering a $3/mo subscription would probably majorly boost sales.
- johnchristopher 8y ago
  I meant to write founded, sorry.
- lasagnaphil 8y ago
  I've used Postbox when I was young and using OS X, but now I'm only in Windows and Linux. And I've tried the Windows version recently, and it seemed as sluggish as any other Electron app.
Kasoha 8y ago
it just needs a GUI overhaul. Badly.
isxek 8y ago
> I use Thunderbird - The only desktop client which has both Windows/Linux versions (with identical UIs) There's also Sylpheed (https://sylpheed.sraoss.jp/en/ https://sylpheed.sraoss.jp/en/) and Claws Mail (https://www.claws-mail.org/ https://www.claws-mail.org/).
- lasagnaphil 8y ago
  Thanks, I've also noticed the two programs, but poor HTML support for both of those is kind of a bummer... If I were just using email with developers I would not care about sending/receiving only text emails, but unfortunately the real world is a bit more complicated than that...
0815test 8y ago
Thunderbird runs on XULRunner - strictly speaking it's not Electron, but the overall architecture is very similar, with highly comparable drawbacks.
- lasagnaphil 8y ago
  Yep, I've noticed the performance wasn't that great. It seems like there isn't a native email app in 2019 that supports HTML... Maybe is it because displaying HTML itself is pretty hard without a runtime like Electron or XULRunner?
beagle3 8y ago
There’s a conversation view addon that makes it look like gmail - too much so in my opinion. You might find it helpful.
ta987 8y ago
Desktops are outdated. Why develop software for it?
javajosh 8y ago
Is your aversion to Electron-based apps practical or aesthetic? If it's practical, I'd be curious to know more.

johnchristopher 8y ago

Have you tried Postbox https://www.postbox-inc.com/ https://www.postbox-inc.com/ ? It's based on Thunderbird, funded and staffed by former members of Mozilla.

salasrod 8y ago
Postbox does not have a Linux version. That kills it for me.
soulofmischief 8y ago
Some thoughts: The tagline "for busy professionals, like you." immediately made exit the page without thinking. It could be the best product in the world but I'm not going to use a product that treats me with such a patronizing attitude. And whatever genius decided to hide the pricing behind another page doesn't understand their market. The price is the first and only thing I care about if we're talking about paid desktop clients. Everything else is secondary. And they might as well put the big honking "$40 per license" pricing right there at the top instead of further down the fishing rod. Anyone who considers that a worthwhile deal is going to pay it anyway. It's not a bad deal for a lifetime license. However many customers would probably like something more than a 30-day free trial without a lifetime commitment. Offering a $3/mo subscription would probably majorly boost sales.
johnchristopher 8y ago
I meant to write founded, sorry.
lasagnaphil 8y ago
I've used Postbox when I was young and using OS X, but now I'm only in Windows and Linux. And I've tried the Windows version recently, and it seemed as sluggish as any other Electron app.

Kasoha 8y ago

it just needs a GUI overhaul. Badly.

isxek 8y ago

> I use Thunderbird - The only desktop client which has both Windows/Linux versions (with identical UIs) There's also Sylpheed (https://sylpheed.sraoss.jp/en/ https://sylpheed.sraoss.jp/en/) and Claws Mail (https://www.claws-mail.org/ https://www.claws-mail.org/).

lasagnaphil 8y ago
Thanks, I've also noticed the two programs, but poor HTML support for both of those is kind of a bummer... If I were just using email with developers I would not care about sending/receiving only text emails, but unfortunately the real world is a bit more complicated than that...

0815test 8y ago

Thunderbird runs on XULRunner - strictly speaking it's not Electron, but the overall architecture is very similar, with highly comparable drawbacks.

lasagnaphil 8y ago
Yep, I've noticed the performance wasn't that great. It seems like there isn't a native email app in 2019 that supports HTML... Maybe is it because displaying HTML itself is pretty hard without a runtime like Electron or XULRunner?

beagle3 8y ago

There’s a conversation view addon that makes it look like gmail - too much so in my opinion. You might find it helpful.

ta987 8y ago

Desktops are outdated. Why develop software for it?

javajosh 8y ago

Is your aversion to Electron-based apps practical or aesthetic? If it's practical, I'd be curious to know more.