Thunderbird 128.1.1esr (64-bit) is a mess

[WallisKL137]

I've been using Thunderbird for years without issues, but frankly this new release is a dumpster fire.   Specifically:

1.  Slow to respond and frequently hangs with the dreaded "Not Responding" error.
2.  Even slower to send messages, event messages with text only and no attachments or graphics.
3.  Defaults to threaded messages on install.  Threaded messages should be user optional on install.
4.  Message search feature that allows users to show messages as a list does not work at all.

[Sniket]

I have the same problem, it's a disaster! 

Windows 11 23H2

[karlt]

Well, I would offer 2 thoughts regarding T-BIRD 128.  In fact, T-BIRD in general.  THUNDERBIRD is the de facto standard in independent e-mail clients, 'owning' the lion's share of the market. So1, given that status, the folks who put in the effort to program its many features should be commended. However, given that praise, I also agree that making changes for the sake of making changes IS extremely disruptive & alienating.  One glaring example from a bygone release update was to turn off the links which appeared on the left side of FIREFOX, so to reset it, one had to go through a series of steps, steps not immediately easy to locate.  In the case of T-BIRD, I've had several similar issues going back to the days of Rel. 5n.nnn, and it has been extremely annoying to say the least.  But, MOZILLA is not unique in this tragedy.  MICROSOFT is t he prime leader in 'change for the sake of change' syndrome.  Every release of Windows brings a wwhole new set of these situations.  The desktop presentation of XP was perfect, but in the immediate following releases, they felt compelled to change the format.  WHY?  Millions upon millions of users were very comfortable with the way it was.  What is lost at the keyboards of many programmers is  that the general user public just wants to get their work done. By analogy: If I need a screwdriver to work a screw, that's what I need. I expect that every time I pick up a screwdriver, I need to go to the instruction booklet to learn how it is used!  The comment, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it', SHOULD BE the absolute mantra for all softwate programming projects.

[dack42]

I have no problem under Windows 10, but under Windows 11 I cannot display any of my mail detail.  I use classic view, but when I click on an e-mail, the display window is blank.  Since I use a common shared copy of the email; there is something wrong with the Windows 11 implementation.

[karlt]

I second WallisKL137's comments above.  I would also add an additional complaint which has plagued me for several recent updates.  When I receive an e-mail, which has been forwarded from others at least once, not only do many of them also include the previous e-mail addresses of senders/receivers, but most often these 'forwards' also add blue or black (or other coloured) lines on the left margin.  Because I obsess over neatness, I take the time to remove the lines.  The problem is that sometimes when there are multiple lines, I cannot simply use the highlight & delete function because the data seems to be 'locked'.  Editing tools should have complete control over the process, but it doesn't.  I find this extremely annoying to use some work-arounds to accomplish my goal.  What I usually do is to place the cursor in a 'clean' area above the affected text, then press the Enter key to create a new line.  Then I go down to the text/embedded content area, highlight it, and do a CUT, then PASTE steps.  When the text / document is long and/or involved, this becomes a major editing task.  Simple text / body content editing should be much more direct.

  Gripe #2:  For some reason, despite the fact that I have the setting to allow image content to be contained within an e-mail, for 2, and only 2 friends who use AOL as their client, embedded memes and/or photos, image files are extracted, turning them into attachments, and in their place they are substituted with empty boxes with references to the files somewhere else.  No one with whom I've spoken has a clue as to why this happens, so no one can provide any reasonable reply for a fix.

Thank you.