evolution vs thunderbird

[Don DeGregori]

Evolution has been the default e-mail client in Ubuntu. Many say Thunderbird is better or easier to use. And I suppose, others like Evolution. I guess it is a matter of what one is comfortable with. To the the developers: Why did you pick Evolution? I have tried both, but Thunderbird seems more intuitive to me. I would like a few opinions from this forum.

Thanks, Don

[PmDematagoda]

I feel that Evolution is better than Thunderbird, it is very feature rich, powerful and is also easy to use.

[mahiyar]

This topic is as old as Ubuntu. Evolution is the complete package with calenders, contacts, memos, tasks something like Microsoft Outlook and thunderbird is just a mail client nifty and fast and intuitive. But why do you need any client if you have a gmail account?

[drunkardivan]

But why do you need any client if you have a gmail account?

This is, indeed, the question! :lolflag:

[XVII]

I feel that Thunderbird is far more superior than Evolution all around.

[Blutack]

The reason it is default is that it is the default for the Gnome desktop, and (more importantly) is heavily integrated with everything else. I personally much prefer Thunderbird but live with Evolution because of the flawless multisync --> phone support, the integration with the clock applet calendar and various other bits (tracker for example).
For me Evolution, whilst improving, has a level of flakiness worthy of a vista app.

[XVII]

The reason it is default is that it is the default for the Gnome desktop, and (more importantly) is heavily integrated with everything else. I personally much prefer Thunderbird but live with Evolution because of the flawless multisync --> phone support, the integration with the clock applet calendar and various other bits (tracker for example).
For me Evolution, whilst improving, has a level of flakiness worthy of a vista app.

It is integrated into GNOME, but what if you use KDE/E17/Openbox?

[mdpalow]

This is, indeed, the question! :lolflag:

Because I'd rather pop3 gmail and bring everything in rather than bringing up a browser, going to gmail, and logging in.

My Evolution is started minimized at boot-up and immediately grabs my e-mail. A lot quicker... "That is the answer...." :)

[XVII]

Because I'd rather pop3 gmail and bring everything in rather than bringing up a browser, going to gmail, and logging in.

My Evolution is started minimized at boot-up and immediately grabs my e-mail. A lot quicker... "That is the answer...." :)

I use gmail with thunderbird via pop3.

[mahiyar]

The thing is calenders on gmail are much more advanced than evolution, they even have the capability to send reminder SMSes on your mobile, thats the best part.

[lightstream]

The thing is calenders on gmail are much more advanced than evolution, they even have the capability to send reminder SMSes on your mobile, thats the best part.

That does sound pretty nifty. Still with gmail you're at the mercy of Google, eg should they ever in the future decide to charge for the service (aka Hotmail & Yahoo) you have the choice of paying or losing your email address.

Can gmail connect to non-gmail accounts, say if you have your own domain or want to access work email?

As a web-based client, gmail is indeed much better than most. When possible though I much prefer to work with my emails using a standalone client rather than in a web browser.

BTW my vote is for Thunderbird over Evolution - I only want the email features as I'm not anywhere near organised enough to use a calendar! For that it is small light and fast.

[mdsmedia]

I use Thunderbird for email, Kontact for calendar and PIM.

I don't need a PIM in an email client. That, to me, ties you too much to the whole package if one part of it doesn't suit.

I tried Evolution when I first installed Ubuntu and couldn't get it to use my multiple mail accounts.

As for Gmail, if you are not connected to the net you don't have your emails. With a local email client you only need the net to upload and download emails.

[smartboyathome]

Can gmail connect to non-gmail accounts, say if you have your own domain or want to access work email?

Actually, it does allow you to do that. Go to Settings > Accounts and click add another e-mail account. Also, check out this page (http://www.google.com/a/?utm_medium=et&utm_source=GmailUI&utm_campaign=gafyd), as it tells you how to use GMail on your own domain.

About it becoming a pay-for service, that will never happen since Google is one of the biggest supporters of open source software (and it isn't practical for everyone to run their own server for e-mail, anyway).

[vishzilla]

Hey, does anybody have problem with Gmail IMAP in Thunderbird. I get a time-out error. SMTP is alright

[utUtu]

Because I'd rather pop3 gmail and bring everything in rather than bringing up a browser, going to gmail, and logging in.

My Evolution is started minimized at boot-up and immediately grabs my e-mail. A lot quicker... "That is the answer...." :)

Why POP it when you can iMAP it? Apparently you haven't heard it yet - GMAIL is now IMAP enabled.

[bruce89]

evolution vs thunderbird

Evolution, for the same reasons I use Epiphany.

Plus, Mozilla are evil.

[rh1zome]

Yep, as many others have said, I covet Thunderbird's speed and stability (I used it continuously on Windows for 2 years or so) and regard it as a fantastic app and a real Free software success story. But these days I'm a heavy user of Evolution and its Calendar, Tasks and Memos. What's more, its two-click backup function provides easy security and is a real embuggerance reducer.

Personally, I find Evolution so useful that I would happily devote an entire six months worth of Ubuntu development resource (ducks to avoid high velocity buns) in order to sort out the outstanding issues (e.g. occasional freezes, random window shutdowns, intermittent non-responsive input fields, and the myriad bugs logged on Launchpad, such as the inability to sort tasks by category on Gutsy without locking up the application, etc).

In spite of such glitches, my Evolution data has crucially always remained intact and, as I said, I find it so useful that I just can't stop using it. Functionally, a great app. I hope it continues to get the developer time its importance deserves.

[Portable_Jim]

That does sound pretty nifty. Still with gmail you're at the mercy of Google, eg should they ever in the future decide to charge for the service (aka Hotmail & Yahoo) you have the choice of paying or losing your email address.
Yahoo does not charge either for an email address or for POP access.

I use Thunderbird because that is what I am used to, and because I think it has as many features (maybe it is because I have not really used it). I found the calender function of evolution useful, although I have been switching between that and Sunbird.

[SunnyRabbiera]

Evolution is alright but I prefer thunderbird as its recognized by more mail import tools say like opera for example

[airtonix]

The comparison is not equal.

evolution is more than just mail. whereas thunderbird is only mail.

on my 1.8athlonXP 1gb 200(odd)mhz ddrRam, 120gb storage. thunderbird, firefox and sunbord all lag horribly.

Evolution however takes a while to load, but once it is ( i run evolution wrapped by alltray) up and in the tray....faster than either of mozillas packages.

But having Just started using KDE.....Kmail owns them all.

I didnt think i would like KDE this much, but the fact that i'm not waiting more than a 1/4 of second for *any* app to load is just freakn awesome.

gnome makes me wait like 10-20secs usually before any kind of gtk app loads....even though mousepad jumps up instantly.

If your concerned about the longevity of the current service provided by gmail or anyother online mailservice....then you really should set your own :

+ dyndns.org account : choose a free domain name.
+ a mail server that services this domain name you choose
+ roundcube. nice easy little webmail interface.

[cabetza1]

After this opinion check the comparision: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-mail_clients

[Djzn.BR]

The only reason I find EVO superior to Thunderbird is that, when you SEND or RECEIVE email, there is the progress bar pop up which I find very nice, unlike TB's "There are no new messages in the server." dry message from Thunderbird. And also, TB feels slower. The only TB upside is its compatibility cross-platform, and the advantage of having only an email client (not an agenda, etc). (And automatic gmail account setup!!!).

[mickeyy]

I prefer Thunderbird because i dont need the extra features of evolution, and Thunderbird is not dependant on Gnome, i would like to see Evolution develop a light version that is just GTK dependant and not dependant on Gnome being installed too...

i also have the origional dinosaur installed (Mozilla) because it has the integrated email client so when i need a browser & email client to work together...

since Firefox just released 1.0.3 i would imagine Thunderbird to soon follow suit with a 1.0.3 release# too...

[beetleman64]

I personally don't find one to be much better than the other, I personally use Thunderbird but I have used Evolution in the past (but I had to use Windows for a while and got used to Thunderbird) and probably will again. The idea of synchronising all your contact over Ubuntu one is pretty appealing and will save me so much work.

[deadalus.globalnode]

For me Evolution, whilst improving, has a level of flakiness worthy of a vista app.

You don't think that was to harsh do you? :lolflag:
I prefer thunder bird over evolution.

[bilalakhtar]

Evolution has support for calendars built-in, which is why I like Evolution.