prokofiev19 said

Since the update I can't access my mail!!!! There's no inbox folder. There are loads now - of tabs that I don't need and are blocking my access to the inbox. When I enter turn off tabs in Help I get 6 hundred and something replies - when I choose the one that says how to go to tools options advanced etcetera there's nothing there that I can see to turn off the tabs ---- Hello-ho!?!

Okay - how to add, append, update one's question? - I only see replying to it! - Okay, then. -- With the confirm my question email I find the return of the inbox! Whether it will now stay-put - I don't know. - I still don't know how to turn-off the new system of TABS - which somehow blocked appearance of the folder pane and along with it the most important of all - the inbox ---

Minutes later - again no inbox. And under View - all is greyed-out - no options!!!??? Eight years have very much appreciated Thunderbird. But working on getting access to my inbox - i.e. to my mail - working on this now for over an hour - to no avail - will have to close the account - and find a new email program. All immediately upon the update - with the new system of 'tabs' --- ?!

Now - via a dozen tries via Go - to inbox - that didn't work - the inbox of all accounts - folders pane - appears! Again - don't know how long this will last ---

You don't have to open messages in tabs.

First, right-click a tab, select "close other tabs". Now you have just the one.

The Folder Pane is selectable via the menu: View|Layout|Folder Pane. No menu? Press the <alt> key.

Now, Tools|Options|Display|Advanced and there you can choose how messages open. If you don't want tabs, choose "separate window". Personally, I don't "open" messages in the way that this option assumes; I read mine in the Message Pane below the Thread Pane.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Window_layout_-_Thunderbird

We can't avoid tabs completely. The calendar uses its own tab, and Tools|Add-ons now opens in a tab. But these two needn't interfere with our email. ;-)