ITS is pleased to announce that Mozilla Thunderbird has been chosen to replace the Netscape Messenger e-mail program. Thunderbird has its roots in Netscape Messenger, so users will find a familiar look and feel in Thunderbird.
While Thunderbird is available for both Windows and Mac computers, the initial introduction to the campus will focus on the Windows version. Support for the Mac version will be phased in at a later date.
Thunderbird has some significant new features such as support for multiple e-mail accounts (e.g., an individual account and a departmental account), junk e-mail filters, and leading-edge security features. Another benefit of using Thunderbird is that Web links in e-mail messages will automatically open in Internet Explorer. This is an important change since IE is currently the only Web browser certified for use with Parnassus.
Users are encouraged to start using Thunderbird at their earliest convenience, as support for Netscape Messenger will be discontinued after October 17, 2005. The "Moving to Thunderbird E-mail Client" Quick Guide provides detailed instructions for downloading and installing Thunderbird, as well as transferring e-mail messages, address books and other settings from Netscape 4.x and 7.x. For faculty and staff who are currently using an e-mail program other than Netscape Messenger, ITS would be happy to try to assist with the transition to Thunderbird upon request.
PDA users should note that synchronization with the Thunderbird address book is NOT currently available, though this functionality may be included in future versions of Thunderbird.
For Windows users who are expecting to receive a new computer under technology renewal between now and October 17, please be aware that the computer will automatically be configured with Thunderbird and will not include Netscape Messenger.
Users should note that Thunderbird does not replace Ithaca College Webmail (or vice versa). Since Thunderbird stores some of its settings on the computer hard drive, it is designed to be used from your primary workstation. Webmail, which can be accessed from any computer with Internet access, does not store any settings on the local computer. This makes Webmail ideal for checking your e-mail when you are away from your primary computer. However, Webmail is also perfectly suitable for managing your e-mail on a daily basis. The choice is up to you!
ITS recommends that students use the Webmail system, which provides easy access to e-mail from any computer and requires no configuration of the local computer.
We are confident that the campus community will find Thunderbird to be an excellent program for managing e-mail. If you have any questions about moving to or using Thunderbird, please contact the ITS Helpdesk [mailto: helpdesk@ithaca.edu] at 4-3282.
Related links:
"Moving to Thunderbird" guide: www.ithaca.edu/computing/quick_guides/email/qg_thunderbirdmigration.pdf
IC E-mail System guide: www.ithaca.edu/computing/quick_guides/email/qg_emailguide.pdf
Mozilla Thunderbird website: www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20050428155821109