This is the screen I'm talking about making the default start page when logging in.

TB always starts the way it was when it was last closed. If you want to have it start with a particular folder open, no matter the previous state when last closed, there is an add-on that will do this. There is no security or privacy flaw in this configuration, as it provides no less protection than if TB opens the way you show in your picture.

If you want to limit access to your mail, a better approach is password-protected Windows user accounts, and to lock your desktop when it's unattended (Winkey+L).

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Protect_the_profiles_contents

Thanks for the information about the addon. I'll have a look at that later.

Have to disagree, strongly, with most of the rest of your reply. It strikes me as naive and patronising, particularly that you think I'm not using password protected accounts and up to date AV/AM programs.

The sort of information you can glean from just the inbox header contents ie. banking, credit card, utilities, billing dates let alone other private matters is what fraudsters and tracking software would love to know and harvest. Yet there it is in the background behind the login box.

Is there any good reason why Thunderbird is set up to default to the last screen you used before exiting? I can't think of one and I can not think of any program that does that when you've logged off or been logged off.

There should at least be an option to choose that 'home' Thunderbird Mail page as your default login background screen. Is there any good reason why that isn't provided as an option?

if you're concerned about the exposure of your inbox headers to 'fraudsters and tracking software', a legitimate concern, note that all the mail folders are stored in plain text mbox files. So, I don't think that if TB opens to the Home page that it offers any additional protection.

Opening to the last opened folder is probably regarded as a convenience by most users, but the option exists with the add-on to define any folder. I have never seen any comments about this being a security risk.

greybeard2012 said

Have to disagree, strongly, with most of the rest of your reply. It strikes me as naive and patronising, particularly that you think I'm not using password protected accounts and up to date AV/AM programs.

I see no mention of anti virus, which in my humble opinion is actually counter productive in Thunderbird email situations. But that is another discussion.

You are the one who raises having someone looking over your shoulder when you open your mail. Suggesting you use a password protected user account is you have issues with casual snoops is still standed practice about everywhere I have ever worked.

The sort of information you can glean from just the inbox header contents ie. banking, credit card, utilities, billing dates let alone other private matters is what fraudsters and tracking software would love to know and harvest. Yet there it is in the background behind the login box.

Then do not open your mail in the presence of others. It is also good practice to save your passwords to Thunderbird and use a master password to encrypt them. Is that condescending or an attempt to share useful information. My intent is to educate, but like most volunteers, I have no specific training in customer service, nor an real interest in offering the sort of obsequious service many with fully formed opinions and little knowledge of the subject appear to demand.

Is there any good reason why Thunderbird is set up to default to the last screen you used before exiting?

It is probably hard for you to comprehend, given your stated option, but you are very much in the minority. You are the first person I think I have ever seen in this forum suggesting something other than the inbox is the place to land. I have in the same 10 year period seen plenty of folks complaining that something is actually stopping that. The original add-on for session restore had 312 users. https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/dontrestoretabs/

The add-on Christ1 has pointed you to has added the functionality as the original was not maintained after V60. SO I link here just so you can read things for yourself.

I can't think of one and I can not think of any program that does that when you've logged off or been logged off.

Perhaps your choices of software might impact that. Windows itself has endeavored to reboot to the same state it was in when you left it. It has never been particularly successful, but some apps do reopen when windows is rebooted following an update. Firefox and Chrome open all the tabs again when you return.

There should at least be an option to choose that 'home' Thunderbird Mail page as your default login background screen. Is there any good reason why that isn't provided as an option?

See these bugs. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=506526 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=501288

There is discussion there about the why and the what to do going back 11 years.

Looks like I'm in a small minority in my concerns.

But the question remains: why can't users, for whatever reason, choose their TB start page when logging on?

You have the facility provided to show any particular web page you choose as a Start Page or leave it blank in the message area. That is an feature I have always found of mysterious value yet TB does not offer the, I would have thought, simpler option to choose the login home page or, similarly, an otherwise blank or basic login screen.

I'm not asking to change TB for everyone, if other users are happy to use it as it is then that is their business and I'd support their right to choose to do that. I'm just floating the idea that offering a login start page choice in the Options menu would be a good idea.

It is not a bad one is it?

BTW the Addon suggested earlier which may allow you to set the login start page appears to be incompatible with the latest version of TB (v68.2.2). It says it is installed but it is not in the Tools menu where it is supposed to be.

greybeard2012 said

BTW the Addon suggested earlier which may allow you to set the login start page appears to be incompatible with the latest version of TB (v68.2.2). It says it is installed but it is not in the Tools menu where it is supposed to be.

It is under Tools when you select it from the Menu Bar (see picture). Press Alt if the Menu Bar with Tools is hidden.

Thanks but there's nothing in Tools, as you can see below.

The addon is clearly installed as can also be seen.

Could be some general settings issue why its not showing up but what?

EDIT

Found it. I needed to have the Menu Toolbar enabled which I didn't have before and use the "Tools" menu there.

Another TB design oddity in that the main (hamburger) menu Tools option doesn't include the addons.

greybeard2012 said

Looks like I'm in a small minority in my concerns. But the question remains: why can't users, for whatever reason, choose their TB start page when logging on?

I provided you with the links to the relevant bugs, where the matter is discussed. That is the answer to the question. I can not put something out of my orifice to answer you. I am not a developer.

You have the facility provided to show any particular web page you choose as a Start Page or leave it blank in the message area. That is an feature I have always found of mysterious value yet TB does not offer the, I would have thought, simpler option to choose the login home page or, similarly, an otherwise blank or basic login screen. I'm not asking to change TB for everyone, if other users are happy to use it as it is then that is their business and I'd support their right to choose to do that. I'm just floating the idea that offering a login start page choice in the Options menu would be a good idea. It is not a bad one is it?

As is discussed in the bugs I linked to, there does appear to be a general consensus that something should be done. But if you had read the information you would know that and would not be raising it again in a support forum with other Thunderbird users as your audience

greybeard2012 said

Thanks but there's nothing in Tools, as you can see below.... Another TB design oddity in that the main (hamburger) menu Tools option doesn't include the addons.

That is because it is on the menu you clicked through to get to the tools menu.

As well as on the tools menu on the menu bar.

The addon is clearly installed as can also be seen.

Sorry but you've lost me on that last point.

Where in the main menu do you mean? With the recent v68 GUI changes "Tools" is just a 'loose' menu item. If I click on that all I get is that same Tools menu shown in the screenshot attached to my last post.

The addon's new "Manually sort folders" option is, clearly, not there or anywhere else in the main 'hamburger menus that I can see. However it is in the Menu Bar > Tools options.

Maybe I'm being a bit thick but if the addon's "Manually sort folders" tool was also in the main 'hamburger' menu as you described I think I'd see it or at least be able to find it.

EDIT

There's another thread here:-

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1273329

about related matters and some other user finding that the addon in question does not work with the latest TB version.

Ironically they want to use it to open TB on the inbox.