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I thought thunderbird was free, but...

  • 18 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by john401

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I have Verizon.net e-mails which Verizon will no longer be offering. I thought instead of migrating to aol.mail, I'd open thunderbird e-mail(s). So I just downloaded and when I went to set up, it said use current e-mail (which I don't know if I can - or get new e-mail address and it gave a few options WHICH ALL COST SOMETHING each year. So what is the deal?

If you noticed in my first sentence, I have more than one e-mail. Can I "move" two to thunderbird? That is if it really is free. I hope to hear from someone as I need to get things squared away by Apr. 28. Thanks.

I have Verizon.net e-mails which Verizon will no longer be offering. I thought instead of migrating to aol.mail, I'd open thunderbird e-mail(s). So I just downloaded and when I went to set up, it said use current e-mail (which I don't know if I can - or get new e-mail address and it gave a few options WHICH ALL COST SOMETHING each year. So what is the deal? If you noticed in my first sentence, I have more than one e-mail. Can I "move" two to thunderbird? That is if it really is free. I hope to hear from someone as I need to get things squared away by Apr. 28. Thanks.

All Replies (18)

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Thunderbird is email client software and it is free to use. Thunderbird is not an email provider. You need to get email service from a provider. You can add multiple email accounts to Thunderbird.

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Hi Airmail -

Thanks for the reply, although it was very disappointing. I didn't think about it NOT being a "provider." Shame, I'll have to look elsewhere.

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You should probably Goggle email provider vs email client.

There are several free providers. Gmail, GMX are two. Then there is the bottom of the barrel, Yahoo.

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Hi again Airmail -

Oh, I know about yahoo e-mail, I had one and dropped my yahoo account when that spying thing came out. The e-mail kept getting more and more bare bones and klutzy.

I did check out GMX and Gmail but ---- they both want my birthdate - as does juno. Are there ANY that won't demand this? I'm panicking because I only have until midnight tomorrow . I just love the way Verizon threw us under the bus.

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Note someone else asked about the Verizon => Aol problem and I posted the following:

Q.
My current service provider, Verizon, will soon no longer provide email serving. I wish to stay with Thunderbird; but must use another provider. How to do that?

A. John99 said - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1157594#answer-961984

It looks like it should be no problem using Thunderbird and keeping your email address as long as you log that with Verizon. Reading this third party news Item it seems it is possible to move over to AOL but keep a similar email address
... Verizon users who choose the AOL option will still be able to keep their existing addresses, which will carry the “verizon.net” ending. They will, however, have to let Verizon know that they want to hang on to their addresses and log in through AOL's system from now on, the email said. ...

From AOL themselves

Can I use a third party email program such as Outlook or Thunderbird, to access my verizon.net email with AOL Mail? Yes, you can use a third party email program such as Outlook or Thunderbird to access your verizon.net email with AOL Mail. If you previously used a third party program to access your mail, you simply need to update your password to the one you created when you registered with AOL Mail. To update your password settings, follow the instructions in the help article titled, Verizon Move to AOL Mail: Updating your third party email program or mobile device with your new account information (POP3). link

If you would like to use an email client with your new AOL Mail account and you ARE NOT currently using an email client configured with POP3, follow the steps in the help article titled, Verizon Move to AOL Mail: Setting up your new AOL account in a third party email program or mobile device (IMAP). link
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Personally I consider my birth date and my mothers maiden name etc to be information that could be used to help steal my identity and compromise things like online banking.

When asked for such information then other than say official documents I give often unique but false information, especially if that information is likely to be made public. That may be against T&C and some would say it is even fraudulent but I consider it paramount to my safety. So like the Queen of the UK I have more than one Birthday a year.

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Hi John99 -

The reason I balked at migrating to aol is that they demanded my birthdate. I feel the same way you do and feel it should not be asked for unless with real, official documents.

I am also concerned about giving a false bd, as I have read reports that there have been those who wish to make "terms and conditions" so that if you give false info, it is fraud or something. Don't want them coming after me at some future date...

I just checked out Yandex and they didn't ask for it, so I may go with them --- then I could probably configure that addy with thunderbird.

I also have actually signed up for an outlook.com addy but have no clue about configuring or if it's really now active.

Don't ya love tech? :-)

Edit, This post was marked as spam. I presume that was accidental and have unmarked it ~J99

Modified by John99

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I guess genuine reasons for wanting your BD are that they want to make sure you are not under age and also they want to target you with age appropriate advertising and maybe even date specific adverts and offers. My concern then is twofold, 1. disclosing it to a site which I may be too sure I trust and 2. putting it out on a site that then publicly displays that information for example in my profile.

The likes of MS Outlook & Google's Gmail probably do not bother asking for things like date of birth, their T&C no doubt already point out they scan and use the full content of all your webmail anyway.

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Hi again.

I have to echo your points and concerns.

Well, gmail DID ask for my bd. Outlook did not, but maybe I should find their t&c.

Sounds as though Yandex might be a better choice for most of my uses.

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You folks might be glad to know I was able to create a yandex account and get the e-mail set up in Thunderbird.

I have been having all kinds of problems getting my outlook e-mail set up either in outlook OR with thunderbird. For some reason the latest prob seems to be "ms Outlook mail" itself seems to be rejecting my creds in trying to set it up with either program. I've a thread at their community support, and hope I can get going with ---- one of them, anyway!

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Does yandex have a good reputation?

As far as outlook/hotmail ... users have been having trouble unless they

set server to outlook.office365.com set smtp to smtp.office365.com

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Hi Wayne Mery -

Yes, I believe Yandex has a pretty good reputation. And I don't know about those smtp settings for outlook. I think I just had thunderbird auto check and config after I finally got on the trail to allowing outlook e-mails to be accessed by an e-mail program.

I use both of my new addresses now with thunderbird and once I got through the initial config, everything seems fine :-)

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I don't understand the sensitivity about birth dates. It's hard to think of any form that you fill in or service that you apply for that doesn't ask for this.

You can of course lie, or creatively use made-up DOBs to identify which account or provider has been hacked, or who has shared your data with others. But do make and keep notes; Google, for one, will occasionally challenge you to confirm you are who you say you are and your DOB is one of the data items they can ask you for, so you need to be sure you know what you told them originally. Ditto for mother's maiden name, etc.

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Hi Zenos -

I haven't really actively counted, but I don't think every form (offline or whatever) has asked for birthdate. I do know that online stuff especially I am LOATHE to give it out. In this age of data hacking and all, I don't understand why you don't see the problem - if someone nefarious were to put that info together with the other two pieces of critical personal info - well, you can just imagine.

Also with online t & c, I've heard rumblings that there are those who would make them LEGALLY binding... so that would mean lying about something like a birthdate could give whatever "service provider" reason to terminate your account or worse. Not every provider asked for this (Yandex did not) and if you think just bd ---- well, I also gave a quick glance at the reg form for juno.com. I could hardly believe all the detailed personal info they wanted. When is enough - enough?

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Wayne Mery said

Does yandex have a good reputation? As far as outlook/hotmail ... users have been having trouble unless they set server to outlook.office365.com set smtp to smtp.office365.com

I had similar trouble setting up hotmail on Android at one time and had to manually enter an outlook address, but last time I did it, it worked fine on default settings provided by the Android app.

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stellawrites said

I have Verizon.net e-mails which Verizon will no longer be offering. I thought instead of migrating to aol.mail, I'd open thunderbird e-mail(s). So I just downloaded and when I went to set up, it said use current e-mail (which I don't know if I can - or get new e-mail address and it gave a few options WHICH ALL COST SOMETHING each year. So what is the deal? If you noticed in my first sentence, I have more than one e-mail. Can I "move" two to thunderbird? That is if it really is free. I hope to hear from someone as I need to get things squared away by Apr. 28. Thanks.

Verizon is still offering E mail service, I have it. And I use Thunderbird. It is fine.

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I'm not sure where you live, john401, but I do believe Verizon IS indeed getting done offering Verizon.net e-mails. This has not taken effect at the same time all over the country. It just hit here --- I'm in S. Jersey. I saw some searches that it had taken effect in some places before they did us.

What they are/will be doing is partnering with aol.mail --- if I had migrated with them to that, I could have kept my Verizon.net e-mails. But I did not. I balked with aol wanted my birthdate.

If this hasn't affected you yet, keep your eyes open...

And I do have both my new e-mails configured with thunderbird and so far all seems pretty well.

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Yes, they are partnering with AOL, feel free to give them a phony birthday. I did.