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Configuring Mozilla Thunderbird to Send Plain ASCII Text

Configuring Mail Clients to Send Plain ASCII Text is an exhaustive primer about why sending e-mail as HTML is wrong, something we've posted about before. The overview lists how to configure mail clients to send in plain-text, including instructions for several old versions of Mozilla and Netscape are listed. However, these options were recently shuffled around. So, here are the instructions to turn of HTML/MIME in Mozilla Thunderbird 0.5:

• Select "Tools" then click on "Account Settings..."
• Under an account, select "Addressing & Composition" in the left pane
• In the "Composition" section, uncheck "Compose messages in HTML format"
• Repeat the above 2 steps for each account you have set up in Thunderbird.
• Click on "OK".
• Select "Tools" then click on "Options"
• Click on "Composition" in left pane
• In the "Forwarding Messages" section, change the "Forward messages:" to Inline.
• In the "Composing Messages" section, unckeck the box in front of "For messages that contain 8-bit characters..."
• In the "Send Options" section, click "Send Options"
• In the "Text Options" section, select "Ask me what to do..." from the dropdown
• Click on "OK".

This is probably a no-brainer for most of you, so instead, forward this link to someone who needs it. Or if you're setting up Thunderbird for a non-techy, remember that when you create a new account in Thunderbird, it presets compostion to HTML format.

And remember, in the rare occasions you absolutely have to send in HTML format, you can always shift-click the "Write" button.

A Look at Some Windows Source Code

Today Microsoft admitted that "portions of the Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0 source code were illegally made available on the Internet." Through unnamed sources, we here at Blogzilla were provided with a portion:


if (default_browser() != IE60) {
   dump_mozilla();
   set_invalid_host("www.mozilla.org", ALWAYS);
   install_ie60();
   download_latest_patch(IE60);
   apply_security_patch(KB828028);
   apply_security_patch(KB832894);
   ...
   apply_security_patch(KB824145);
   apply_security_patch(KB813951);
}


An update from an oldie.

Towards Firefox 1.0

Mozilla developer Ben Goodger has written an interesting post on the Mozillazine forums about plans for Firefox as it approches 1.0. Originally the roadmap contained more features for 1.0, but were trimmed so that they can focus on the following two critical things:

• Seamless Data Migration from other browsers.
• Automated extension update, stability and version compatibility.

Seamless Data Migration is targeted directly for the IE users:

Seamless migration is critical for adoption by people who don't spend all day hanging out in tech forums. A new browser is pretty useless if your favorites, passwords, etc aren't there. The hack job way of migrating data by hand etc that we have now is so far from acceptable that Firefox can presently only be considered marginallly acceptable for novices.

I wonder if they'll go after Safari as well?

Automated extension update, stability and version compatibility is for the regular Mozilla users like you and I. I was very disappointed upon seeing this when I first installed Firefox:

Which is an issue with TabBrowser Extensions and Mozilla Firebird 0.7. I was lulled into a false sense of security with the new installer. I figured there's no way they'd make me recreate my profile now that there's an installer. Wrong. For most extensions, you can choose to either install it in your profile, or in the program dir. But when a new version comes out, you usually have to wipe the program dir or create a new profile! wtf? I thought the point of installing into the profile dir was so I wouldn't have to keep reinstalling stuff. If someone like me doesn't read the release notes, the new IE converts are even less likely to do so. So this new direction of putting a freeze on extension and theme compatibilities is a welcome sign.

Finally, if it wasn't clear that Firefox is targeting IE and IE users directly, then Ben spells it out bluntly:

I am here to take this browser to the mass market, to steal as much market share from IE as possible, not to satisfy a relatively small number of people on forums. The project can only do that by being better than IE in every way. IE's installation an setup experience is top notch because it has the benefit of distribution on new PCs so people just get it when they get a new computer. To compete with that we need to be very, very clever. To compete with IE we need to make one of our competitive advantages not screw people over every time they upgrade.

Read the full post for more details.

[link via JedBro]

MozillaZine Knowledge Base

New to the Mozilla community is a Knowledge Base Wiki (as first reported at MozillaZine). The wiki will "help gather support, resources, hints, tips and FAQs (frequently asked questions) all in one place" through community based efforts for all things Mozilla.

The project is limited only to the amount of contribution put forth by advocates such as you and I. It's editable to all who register, so start making corrections and submitting your input now. Simply imagine being able to point skeptical, yet potential, Mozilla converts to an end-user friendly and well-organized manual!

You know what can make this day better? Porn!

After a 2 year hiatus, Pornzilla is back. If you're not familiar with Pornzilla, the goal of the project is to make Mozilla into a great porn browser. Was Pornfox taken? Read more to find out why Mozilla Firefox is the best porn browser.

Firefox and the extensions Linky and magpie are really all you need. x, which clears "privacy sensitive data" with a single click, is also useful if you don't want your wife to find out.

Oh, you don't look at porn? So its just me alone supporting a $6 billion dollar industry?

Firefox Pinstripe

The default Pinstripe Theme for Mozilla Firebird on OSX is more breathtaking than a hotpocket. On the horizon is Pinstripe for Thunderbird and it looks very promising as well. Some really great work by Kevin Gerich and icon designer Stephen Horlander.

As mentioned on the Pinstripe About page, these are Mac OSX only, since the only way to port this theme to Linux or Windows would involve infringing on Apple's copyrights.

Firebird Rebranded...Again

Mozilla Firebird 0.8 is out, and oh, it's got a new name, again. The new name is Mozilla Firefox. Get it from the download page, or use this BitTorrent file. The name change FAQ has the details, Ben Goodger and Steven Garrity and Jon Hicks have more details about the rebranding. So the name went from mozilla/browser, to m/b, to Phoenix, to Firebird, and now again to Firefox.

I can understand why they changed the name, but I still hate useless name changes. Especially at key times when getting new users to convert to the product and increase market share is a top priorty. It was getting much easier with the new snazzy website, and even the name Firebird had penetrated to the point where it was becoming a recognizable name among new users who had "heard something about it". Even though its a tremendous product, it just feels like they've hit the reset button one too many times. I just hope this is the last time. Also, I hope Clint Eastwood was consulted before they picked the new name. If that fails, they can always call it Chinese Democracy Browser.

Also of note, Mozilla Thunderbird 0.5 is out. Coolest new feature: multiple identies per account.

Also of note, this site is active again.