Thunderbird woes - new install on new MacBook

[#1]

Nice new clean computer. (MacBook Pro El Capitan) New install of TB.

Setting up existing account --

Usual, takes you to page urging you to start new account on 'Ghandi'. No thanks, click on 'I'll start my own later'.

Nothing happens. Can't get off that page. Literally have to quit TB to get out of it.

?

Disabled firewall. Same.

I've posted on TB forum, no answer yet. Anyone got a clue? I'm stumped.

[#2]

I have disliked Thunderbird ever since I had a real struggle (on a PC) getting email messages out of Thunderbird and into Outlook.  What's wrong the the Mail app. that comes with OS X?

[#3]

@IanSn - I am using Thunderbird (v45.2.0) on iMac running El Capitan (v10.11.5) without any errors. I found it easier to cancel the auto account creation and do it manually, but this reference to Ghandi is news to me. I assume you got your download from here?

[#4]

TB actual support forum shows no replies to any queries for pages & pages so give up on that. (There seem to be two forums?) (Are Mozilla generally losing the plot?)

@@ReedRichards

 What's wrong the the Mail app. that comes with OS X?

Nothing at all, it would seem! Set up my outlook, plusnet & own-domain accounts in a jiffy with no fuss and is working fine. Initially opted for TB as have been using it for years on 'old' iMac with no probs.

@Anonymous Same except its MacBook. Yes, that's where I got it.

Funny you've not seen the Gandhi thing, I've had that on last two installations of TB: If new installation a pop up window that offers a 'new account' with said company, but tabs underneath to 'set up existing account', or 'set up account later'. But these buttons were dead, no close-window button, and couldn't get out of the pop-up without quitting TB altogether. Uninstalled and re-installed. Same. Can't think of a reason it would be doing that...

All academic now anyway, Apple Mail is fine

[#5]

 What's wrong the the Mail app. that comes with OS X?

Nothing at all, it would seem! Set up my outlook, plusnet & own-domain accounts in a jiffy with no fuss and is working fine. Initially opted for TB as have been using it for years on 'old' iMac with no probs.

@Anonymous Same except its MacBook. Yes, that's where I got it.

Funny you've not seen the Gandhi thing, I've had that on last two installations of TB: If new installation a pop up window that offers a 'new account' with said company, but tabs underneath to 'set up existing account', or 'set up account later'. But these buttons were dead, no close-window button, and couldn't get out of the pop-up without quitting TB altogether. Uninstalled and re-installed. Same. Can't think of a reason it would be doing that...

All academic now anyway, Apple Mail is fine

[#6]

Mozilla decoupled Thunderbird in 2015 as they don't see a future for it. Mozilla currently offer a home for the software but the development is not part of the work of the Mozilla Foundation.

[#7]

So https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/products/thunderbird is decoupled also?

[#8]

The Mozilla Foundation are still hosting the Thunderbird forums, downloads etc but the project is not developed or supported by the Foundation as Firefox is, but by a separate group of volunteer developers.

[#9]

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@Anonymous wrote:

... this reference to Ghandi is news to me. I assume you got your download from here?

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It's Gandi, not Ghandi, but Gandi has been in Thunderbird since 2012 and version 13 of Thunderbird, apparently.  See http://www.gandibar.net/post/2012/06/06/Mozilla-Thunderbird-uses-Gandi or https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/new-email-address 

[#10]

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@IanSn wrote:

Usual, takes you to page urging you to start new account on 'Ghandi'. No thanks, click on 'I'll start my own later'.

Nothing happens. Can't get off that page. Literally have to quit TB to get out of it.

---

@ReedRichards - Thanks, I know but I was citing the same reference as the OP.

[#11]

We've had Ghandi, Gandhi, and Gandi so far!
Shame Mozilla have concluded there's 'no future' in Thunderbird. Pity those who put so much effort into it.

[#12]

Wikipedia contains the following quote

On December 1, 2015, Mozilla Executive Chairwoman Mitchell Baker announced in a company-wide memo that Thunderbird development needs to be uncoupled from Firefox. She referred to Thunderbird developers spending large efforts responding to changes to Mozilla technologies, while Firefox was paying a tax to support Thunderbird development. She also said that she does not believe Thunderbird has the potential for "industry-wide impact" that Firefox does. At the same time, it was announced that Mozilla Foundation will provide at least a temporary legal and financial home for the Thunderbird project.

However Thunderbird continues to be actively developed - Version 45.2.0, first offered to Release channel users on June 30, 2016

[#13]

Pity in the sense that if no-one ever put any effort into anything unless it was going to have an "industry-wide impact" nothing would ever have got done at all.
Get the feeling TB has been put out to grass despite the half-hearted support from Mozilla.