Mozilla’s desktop email client Thunderbird is set to get some improvements in 2019 thanks to new staff hires.
Thunderbird’s community manager Ryan Sipes outlined plans to improve user interface and experience issues via a post on the platform’s blog. Further, Sipes mentioned plans to promote better integration with email providers like Gmail.
Along with those improvements, Sipes wrote about plans to rewrite parts of Thunderbird with newer, faster technologies. Additionally, the team will work towards making Thunderbird a multi-process application.
Currently, Thunderbird employs eight people with as many as six new engineers coming on. Sipes notes that the hirings are thanks to increased donations to the project. Further, the Thunderbird community is growing as well, with users expressing excitement about changes in Thunderbird 60.
The new hires will focus on “UI slowness and performance issues, improving notifications, boosting Gmail support” and plenty more.
Security will be a significant focus as well. One of the new engineers will focus primarily focus on privacy and security. Further, the team will make it easier for users to encrypt communications.
While the team may not have all these improvements and features ready by the next Thunderbird release, they will come eventually. Thunderbird users will welcome the improvements, and it may encourage others to try the platform.
I’ve had an eye on Thunderbird for some time, but haven’t been able to make the jump. Hopefully, with the coming changes, it’ll be more compelling for myself and other users.
Image Credit: Thunderbird logo (Ura Design)
Source: Thunderbird Blog Via: Engadget, TechCrunch
