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Tutorial: 14 Thunderbird tips to help you take control of your inbox

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/classifications/computing/internet-and-broadband/thunderbird-200-200.jpg"> Can't manage your inbox? Want to deal with attachments more efficiently? Revive your email account with these quick Thunderbird tips. 1. Filter messages into folders An inbox with only one main folder is a definite recipe for disaster. Not only will you receive spam mixed up with messages from trusted contacts, you'll end up with too much mail to deal with all at once. To get round this, create new folders (usually via File > New Folder) and then set up rules or filters for each one. 2. Back up and restore your mail and contacts Hard drive crashes are always possible, but your email can be saved in a flash. In Thunderbird, just copy your profile (C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\Defaults\Profile) to another drive to back up your emails. To restore backups, copy each folder you archived to the original location. 3. Work faster with mail templates To create a new template and use it as the basis for future emails, make a new message, add your text and formatting and select File > Save As > Template. To use this example as the basis for a new mail message, select the Templates folder and then double-click the one you just saved. 4. Tag your messages Alongside filters, tags are the best route to a tidy inbox. In Thunderbird, the default ones are 1) Important (red), 2) Work (orange), 3) Personal (green), 4) To Do (blue) and 5) Later (purple), but you can add your own. Highlight a message and press a number from 1 to 5. Filter rules can also be used to apply tags. 5. Compact messages To compact all folders in Thunderbird manually, click the account on the left and then select File > Compact Folders. If your mailbox is too large then try working with one folder at a time by right-clicking on one and choosing "Compact this folder ". 6. Make attachments as small as possible The <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/4003/">Auto Zip Attachments extension</A> enables you to compress attachments automatically prior to sending, manually compress with the Auto Zip button, add a comment and password-protect zips. 7. Encrypt emails Using a personal email certificate such as the <a href="http://www.thawte.com/resources/personal-email-certificates/index.html?click=DoYouNeedTo-SecureMail">free Thawte option</A>, you can digitally sign your emails so that recipients can see they're really from you. You can also encrypt your messages so that only the intended recipients can view them, offering you real security. 8. Use IMAP rather than POP3 Most email clients support IMAP and POP to access messages from the server. If you're using a popular webmail client or a personal domain, you should be able to use IMAP, which is good for multiple machine use because it automatically synchronises. Handily, it can also be organised server-side. 9. Plan ahead Lightning is Thunderbird's personal organiser, and can be bolted on to the mail client to act as a handy calendar. It even has event filters. 10. Display birthdays This add-on displays birthdays from the address book as events in Lightning. Now you'll never forget a friend 's special day again. 11. Copy Gmail To make Thunderbird more like Gmail, turn on the threaded view. Go to Tools > Options > Advanced > General and click Config Editor. Now search for the preference "mailnews.thread_pane_ column _unthreads". Double-click to change the value to "false". 12. Add Gmail power Another Gmail-esque extension is GMailUI. The Expression search type enables you to enter multiple Gmail-like operators into the field, such as " from:amazon subject:order". 13. Navigate quickly Install the Nostalgy extension to copy or save a message. You can also use it to switch to any email folder quickly with the [C], [S] and [G] keys. 14. Transfer mail The Mail Redirect add-on is ideal for exporting Thunderbird messages to another address without having to forward them. It preserves all the message headers and bounces them to a new destination.

Tutorial: 14 Thunderbird tips to help you take control of your inbox

Can't manage your inbox? Want to deal with attachments more efficiently? Revive your email account with these quick Thunderbird tips. 1...

When Your Firewall is Just Not Enough - Get Filters For Spam and Clean Your Inbox

A firewall is essentially a network security software that inspects and focuses purely on the network that it has been placed across. The firewall is like a sort of a guard station on your computer's gateway, making sure that you and your computer are protected from some of the more nefarious elements of the digital superhighway. Normally found on internal networks and the internet, the basic task of this element of network security is to regulate the flow of information to and from your computer.It has a double element of service, meaning that not only does it work to prevent these black hat elements like malware and viruses from infiltrating your computer, it also blocks an already infected computer to 'hack' into a net work or even spread its internal viruses to other people within the network. A firewall is usually highly configurable and works on a basic set of rules that you give it. Most firewalls have an extensive options menu which you can use to customise to your needs. This article will discuss spam and how firewalls hold up against them - and also why in the day, you will still need a filter to clear your inbox from junk mail. While firewalls are great in stopping viruses and malware from entering your computer, it is does not specifically specialise in spam and junk mail.The reason why sometimes firewalls are not effective against spam is simply because emails are routed to a server, usually a POP3 server, which sometimes by passes the firewall built into your computer. Even if you have a modem firewall, it might not be totally effective. It scans for bad applications, proxies, shady i.p and even packets of information recognised as hacking attempts by other external sources. The vast disparity between emails and the technological backing behind spam is so great and varied, it is simply impossible to get rid of the spam problem using a firewall alone. This is why you need a specialised device, bespoke for spam and junk mail filtering to support the fire wall and even the anti virus programme that you are running on your PC.Just think of the firewall and the anti-virus as the front 2 line defences against the bad elements of the internet. Most of the time, viruses, malware, adware, worms and Trojans are detected on entry, but spam and junk mails represent the more stealthy 'ninja' like entities that work hard to choke your email server and clog up your inbox with worthless mass marketing efforts. A filter is a specialised piece of software that can route and delete them on detection; as well as a highly customisable and flexible piece of programming that ensures only your important emails get through and the junk mails stay where they belong. Filters can also log bad i.ps, addresses and place black lists on your email servers, ensuring you will be free of them forever.	 	 		 			 				 					 						Don't let spam control your life. Eliminate time wastage with this award winning <a href="http://www.antispam.com.sg" target="_new">Spam Blocker Utility</a> System. <a href="http://www.antispam.com.sg" target="_new">Click here</a> for your free trial today.

When Your Firewall is Just Not Enough - Get Filters For Spam and Clean Your Inbox

A firewall is essentially a network security software that inspects and focuses purely on the network that it has been placed across. The...