Thunderbird:2.0 Product Planning
Do not edit this list unless you are on the Thunderbird team. Keep comments to the discussion pages, please.
Thunderbird 2 Feature List Brainstorming
We are currently in pre-planning for Thunderbird 2, and would like to collect all the ideas for front-end, user-facing feature enhancements in a single place. Our goal is to create a single index that lists what sorts of things we're thinking of doing, with links to more detailed ideas about implementation specifics or concerns.
Thunderbird 2 will be happening on the 1.8 branch which is the same branch used for the 1.5 release.
note: mozilla platform feature enhancements are not in scope for this page; please refer to the Draft Gecko 1.9 Roadmap
We've built up a lot of really cool features and technologies in Thunderbird over the last couple of years. We'd like to make Thunderbird 2.0 focus on coming up with creative and innovative ways of exposing a lot of the information and features we've already built.
2.0 Feature Ideas
| Feature | Target | References | |
|---|---|---|---|
Backup and Exporting of archived Messages or Folders.
- | 2.0 - | - |- - |No picture loading from an email marked as Junk.
|
Folders
|
2.0 | |
| New Mail Alerts
Provide more contextual information about new mail in the animated alert.
|
2.0 | Bug 312940 | |
| Folder Summary Tooltips
Allow users to quickly see the contents of new messages in unopened folders without forcing them to actually open the folder, and thus losing their current e-mail context. |
2.0 | Bug 314124 | |
| Favorite Folders
Support a global list of Favorite folders that can include folders from any account. Support other folder views such as Folders with Unread Messages. |
2.0 | Bug 251296 | |
| Tabbed Messages
The ability to have message tabs including the ability to reply, forward and perform all of the usual activities on tabbed messages. Integrated tabbed design with favorite folders across the top of the thread pane per Ben's design ideas. |
2.0 | ||
| Compact Folders
The ability to compact (all) folders with one Click. |
2.0 | ||
| Backup of Personal folders
All email folders residing in the default directory unter ~/Application Data/Thunderbird/... (Windows) should have a backup/restore function provided. Furhtermore the user profile setting should allow to move the profile folder (and it's content) from the current directory to any other directory (i.e. to move the content off the C: harddisk onto a D: partition where the user data is being saved) |
2.0 | ||
| Storage of news threads
News threads should be saved into a profile directory, if the user likes the old articles should be archived for later access, i.e. doing queries to search for fixes that may have been provided years ago. |
2.0 | ||
| Report view of news threads
It would be nice to have a functionality to create a report view of a news thread to be printed or saved into a linear document. |
2.0 | ||
| Message Tags
Rebrand message labels as tags. Expand the functionality to include arbitrary number of tags and multiple tags per message. Investigate supporting auto generation of saved search folders for tags. |
2.0 | ||
| Conversations
Rebrand message threads as conversations. Also, make it easier to group your message replies into folders other than the Sent folder. |
2.0 | Bug 301084 | |
| Cache Search Results for Saved Search Folders | 2.0 / 3.0 | ||
| UI Face Lift for the 3-pane Window
Come up with some fresh user interface changes for the 3-pane. Not sure what we mean here yet. Looking for ideas and mockups. |
2.0 | ||
| Backup of Personal folders
All email folders residing in the default directory unter ~/Application Data/Thunderbird/... (Windows) should have a backup/restore function provided. Furhtermore the user profile setting should allow to move the profile folder (and it's content) from the current directory to any other directory (i.e. to move the content off the C: harddisk onto a D: partition where the user data is being saved) |
2.0 | ||
| Storage of news threads
News threads should be saved into a profile directory, if the user likes the old articles should be archived for later access, i.e. doing queries to search for fixes that may have been provided years ago. |
2.0 | ||
| Report view of news threads
It would be nice to have a functionality to create a report view of a news thread to be printed or saved into a linear document. |
2.0 | ||
| Full Mac OS X Support
This could include: Emulation for some Cocoa-standard keyboard shortcuts such as Ctrl-A, Ctrl-E, Ctrl-K, Ctrl-Y, Addressbook support, Services support, AppleScript support, maybe Growl support, Spotlight integration, Metadata support, Slideshow features like mail.app optinal Dashboard Widget, better integration into existing iWork & iLife products |
2.0 | ||
| Support for Gmail-Accounts
The ability to get mails from Gmail-Accounts [This is possible via POP3. Please specify what you mean :)] |
2.0 | ||
| setting imap acls, and write in ldap adressbooks
this features are a "must" to make Thunderbird groupware featured |
2.0 | ||
| Templates in Adressbook
The ability to insert templates for replies and new mails personalized for a contact. |
2.0 | ||
| Add all mail recipients to the addressbook
It should be possible to add all recipients listed in the "To" or "CC" header fields of selected incoming emails to an addressbook folder with only few clicks (or drag and drop). Multiple entries with the same email address should be removed optionally. |
2.0 | ||
| Function to export/import preferences
For reinstalling the application and installing it on lots of machines, the preferred program settings can be imported/exported. This is especially useful once more preferences come into the program with v2.0, for example custom message tags. |
2.0 | ||
| Function to check for absent attachments
A function that could be switched on and off and would check mail body text for signs that an attachment was intended (like "attached" etc.; extensible list might be best to accommodate other languages) but none actually is included. Function could be invoked at every send and display a warning message if criteria for absent attachments are met. |
2.0 | ||
| UI improvement in email display
The UI could need some improvement to give the program a fancy feeling. Suggested improvements are: a) make email preview more like print preview so user gets a better WYSIWYG feeling. This helps users to visualize an email as a piece of paper. b) display contents of an email folder not only in a list view, but also in small combined stack like list view (2 to 3 lines per entry, no columns) so the 3 column layout of thunderbird will show more information in the list view. See Outlook 2003 for example. |
2.0 | Bug 213945 | |
| Full IMAP compatibility
Using IMAP with www.web.de (the biggest german freemailer) the names of the IMAP-folder seem incompatible. Thats why you always get two trash-folders. If you delete the second one, you get a new one at next reload or visit with thunderbird. |
2.0 | ||
| Support for MS Exchange-Server
Support for MS Exchange. This major feature allows a small or medium company to manage their email-system without using microsoft products or any other alternative software (e.g. Pegasus Mail). This feature may open up new resources for TB. (could also be available as plugin/add-on for sale) |
2.0+ | ||
| New Messages Folder
When using Imap - Let's have a folder containing folders with new messages. When a new message arrives, the folder is shown in "New Messages" Folder. When the message is read, the folder disapears again from "New Messages" |
2.0 | ||
| Generally more information
More information when checking for new mails. How many there are, how big, the connection speed and so on. (Full Header view support) |
2.0+ | ||
| Full support for KDE enviroroment
Develpmoent of a full supported KDE frontend, inculding an menu-bar that can be moved, excluded or can act in MAC-OSX style. |
2.0 | ||
| Addressbook in XML format for better editibility/compatibility
Better and more flexible than this old-fashioned format used nowadays. |
2.0 | ||
| Sync Addressbook and Messages with cellphones and mobile devices. | 2.0 | ||
| Account improvement
Assign SMTP/identity to accounts/folders (like in TheBat) and not centrally. |
2.0 | ||
| Better group mailing functions
Kind of "buddy group list" e.g with forwarding a mail to the group except to sender |
2.0 | ||
| Switching mail folder without loosing quick search
Typing a quick search, switching folder, switching back, quick search lost *grr* |
2.0 | ||
| Overview over correspondency history
Better overview over correspondency with a sender/senders, over all folders |
2.0 | ||
| Addressbook: Customized presentation of entries
Custom representation of entries with having to change the value in "Display", e.g. #Last, #First (#Nick) |
2.0 | ||
| Auto-download on read
Automatic download in background while reading a new message, stopping on deleting. |
2.0 | ||
| Improved and more efficient search
Search often doesn't get the results expected even on local folders and even when a special message should be found. (sorry, no good example present) |
2.0 | ||
| Choose signature for each mail before sending
When writing emails the user should be able to select a previously configured signature. This could be useful for the use in companies where users write emails to both colleagues and customers. For internal emails it isn't necessary to append the whole address signature. Currently there is only one signature configurable in the settings for each account. It makes no sense to duplicate an account just for a second signature. |
2.0 | ||
| Mail redirect a.k.a "bounce"
Allow to redirect mail messages to other recipients. |
2.0 | ||
| Change From, Fcc on compose
Allow to modify your identity for a single mail on the fly. |
2.0 | ||
| QuickMove Extension
Define QM folder targets in the context menu. |
2.0 | ||
| Allow Empty Subject
on / off |
2.0 | ||
| Implement the "TB New Filter Extension"
The new filter actions are autoforward, autoreply, and play sound. |
2.0 | ||
| Remove duplicate messages
Removes duplicates by folder context menu e.g. |
2.0 | ||
| Muli messge attachment extractor
Store Documents ( e.g. letters ) in the Addressbook Contact Like in Outlook it would be helping, if letters and other files can be stored in the Contact via drag and drop. So it is possible to what you have written to the Contact you can open it directly from the Addressbook |
2.0 | ||
| Birthday-Cell in Addressbook and sync to Sunbird
A predefined cell for the birthday of the contact wich is automatically synced with sunbird |
2.0 | ||
| Indexed fulltext search
Automatically create a index of all saved messages, to make fast and incremental (already begin to search as you type the pattern) search possible. Search at present is to complicated and especially to "field/header-orientated". |
2.0 | ||
| More possibilities for auto-choosing identity
Make rules possible e.g. if a email is in this folder and I press reply, Thunderbird has to take that identity. Also clarify list of identities (e.g. only present those identities for actual account you're working on) and make nicknames for identites possible (e.g. work, private, ...). |
2.0 | ||
| Add more features for Usenet
Show indicator on groups that have new replies in watched threads, especially answers on own postings. Use a text-file for abbreviations like in 40tude or scoring for messages like in 40tude. |
2.0 | Bugzilla 127692 | |
| Imap Subscription
use IMAP Subscriptions (check for new mails) stored on the IMAP server (i.e. setting up thunderbird it automatically uses the stored folder subscriptons) |
2.0 | ||
| Sieve Interface
Interface for centralized Mail Filtering and Vacation settings with a sieve server. Also edit these rules offline and sync them when online |
2.0 | ||
| Imap Offline and subscripton Interface
A interface where the whole Folder structure is shown and each folder can be checked if it is subscribed (check for new mails) or offline available. |
2.0 | ||
| selectable Signatures
When sending a mail you can not only choose the Identities but also the Signature |
2.0 | ||
| Edit sent/received emails
Possibility to edit emails that have been sent or received (not just add comments, but actually edit the original message like in Outlook w/ adding and removing text, changing format, etc.) |
2.0 | ||
| Adressbook
Store more than 2 mail adresses. Maybe 10? |
2.0 | ||
| Outgoing Mail Filter
Enable use of filters for outgoing mails. This would enable users to automatically archive outgoing mails per receiver. E.g. always copy mails sent to domain mydomain.com to a special folder. |
2.0 | ||
| Imap Quota/usage
Display the IMAP Quota/usage with configurable alarms when reaching a configured level (2 different levels of warnings) Also interpret the quota Information from the server. |
2.0 | ||
| Fast Full Indexed Search
Fast full indexed search over Emails as it is done by the lookout extension for microsoft outlook. |
2.0 | ||
| Automatic deletion from dead emailaddress
by example Mail delivery failed: returning message to sender |
2.0 | ||
| Make a fast possibility to enable full headers in a message (e.g. with a Button somewehre or with the context menu). Switching on headers with the main menu and switching it off again is very annoying. | 2.0 | ||
| HTML inserts via clipboard
Make a fast way to insert HTML (e.g. tables) from clipboard into a message like it is possible in Outlook Express. Being forced to use OE in these cases is very annoying. |
2.0 | ||
| Google Toolbar for Thunderbird
Google Toolbar is cool. It provides quick means for searching and translating words into German just by pointing mouse over a word. |
2.0 | ||
| Filters on Outgoing AND Incoming Folders for an account
Like Outlook where you can filter your outgoing and incoming messages of your account. At this point you can only filter the folder INBOX but not Sent OR Sent but not INBOX. |
2.0 | ||
| View index of remote mails on POP3 server and possibility to remove single/multiple mails from remote POP3 server without needing to download them.
(e.g. like german T-Online mail client and many other older mail clients) |
2.0 | ||
| Labels
Ability to tag messages with an unlimited number of custom labels (like gmail, picasa, ...) |
2.0 | ||
| New message storrage system
Perhaps database driven. Or at least smaller files. 500MB files (for big folders) are just unhandy for backup (transferring the whole file, just because one message has been added to the folder...) |
2.0/3.0 |