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Late versions of Thunderbird have integrated GPG functionality. I have tested and used this extensively and I think it's a required feature that enables most u

Late versions of Thunderbird have integrated GPG functionality. I have tested and used this extensively and I think it's a required feature that enables most users to have excellent security in their communications. For me, only this would be more than enough enough to switch to Thunderbird as my main mail client!

throwawaybchr 5y ago
Does it require the other party to know what gpg is?
criddell 5y ago
I recently switched off Thunderbird because the company I work for dropped PGP and switched to Microsoft's OME which is (surprise!) best supported by Outlook. I don't have the feeling that PGP/GPG is growing in popularity and if that's Thunderbird's big feature, it might not help them.
- gowld 5y ago
  Is OME compatible with freedom? If so, Thunderbird could add support?
  - criddell 5y ago
    I don't think it would be easy. Along with OME comes a different protocol. I don't think it's fully compatible with SMTP or POP or IMAP.
- spapas82 5y ago
  It ain't Thunderbird's big feature but it's an important one at least for me. The fact that pgp is not growing in popularity is not related to its security but its difficulty of using it properly (and the fact that it is an open and non monetizable solution). Having been integrated in the Thunderbird as a first class feature makes it very easy to use so it may lead to increase in its popularity! I have no experience with OME but I presume it's a proprietary solution.
themulticaster 5y ago
Just a nitpick, but FYI: Thunderbird now has an integrated PGP implementation, but it does not use GnuPG (GPG). Rather they integrated another PGP implementation called RNP. The standard is called OpenPGP, PGP is the original (proprietary) implementation and GnuPG was originally created as a compatible free software alternative to PGP. In previous Thunderbird versions (before 78), the quasi-standard Enigmail extension provided OpenPGP support via GPG. A side effect of this is that Thunderbird does not interact with your GPG keyring anymore. So if you locally trusted a certain key using GPG for example, Thunderbird won't know about it and will ask you to verify it again. Sources: https://blog.thunderbird.net/2020/09/openpgp-in-thunderbird-78/ https://blog.thunderbird.net/2020/09/openpgp-in-thunderbird-... and https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:OpenPGP:Migration-From-Enigmail https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:OpenPGP:Migration-From-...
- spapas82 5y ago
  Yes that's the case. Thunderbird does not use gnupg anymore and the enigmail extension is not needed. However I think that Thunderbird having everything integrated in its UI, without the need to use or even install a third party program line gnupg makes the experience much better for inexperienced users.

throwawaybchr 5y ago

Does it require the other party to know what gpg is?

criddell 5y ago

I recently switched off Thunderbird because the company I work for dropped PGP and switched to Microsoft's OME which is (surprise!) best supported by Outlook. I don't have the feeling that PGP/GPG is growing in popularity and if that's Thunderbird's big feature, it might not help them.

gowld 5y ago
Is OME compatible with freedom? If so, Thunderbird could add support?
- criddell 5y ago
  I don't think it would be easy. Along with OME comes a different protocol. I don't think it's fully compatible with SMTP or POP or IMAP.
spapas82 5y ago
It ain't Thunderbird's big feature but it's an important one at least for me. The fact that pgp is not growing in popularity is not related to its security but its difficulty of using it properly (and the fact that it is an open and non monetizable solution). Having been integrated in the Thunderbird as a first class feature makes it very easy to use so it may lead to increase in its popularity! I have no experience with OME but I presume it's a proprietary solution.

themulticaster 5y ago

Just a nitpick, but FYI: Thunderbird now has an integrated PGP implementation, but it does not use GnuPG (GPG). Rather they integrated another PGP implementation called RNP. The standard is called OpenPGP, PGP is the original (proprietary) implementation and GnuPG was originally created as a compatible free software alternative to PGP. In previous Thunderbird versions (before 78), the quasi-standard Enigmail extension provided OpenPGP support via GPG. A side effect of this is that Thunderbird does not interact with your GPG keyring anymore. So if you locally trusted a certain key using GPG for example, Thunderbird won't know about it and will ask you to verify it again. Sources: https://blog.thunderbird.net/2020/09/openpgp-in-thunderbird-78/ https://blog.thunderbird.net/2020/09/openpgp-in-thunderbird-... and https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:OpenPGP:Migration-From-Enigmail https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:OpenPGP:Migration-From-...

spapas82 5y ago
Yes that's the case. Thunderbird does not use gnupg anymore and the enigmail extension is not needed. However I think that Thunderbird having everything integrated in its UI, without the need to use or even install a third party program line gnupg makes the experience much better for inexperienced users.