Replace Aspire One Mail with Thunderbird

[b.James]

Just switched over to Thunderbird instead of using Aspire One Mail (ASM seems to have poor imap capabilities). Here's how to do it.

Download thunderbird using add/remove software

In terminal:
cd .config/xfce4/desktop
nano group-app.xml (You'll have to have nano capabilities installed)

Scroll down to <id>5</id>
Find the line that begins <app sequence="3" acs="email">
Change AME.desktop to mozilla-thunderbird.desktop
Restart computer

To stop Aspire One Mail from checking for new messages:
Open Aspire One Mail
Tools>Options
Uncheck: "Check for Messages Every:" and "Play sound when new messages arrive."

The only thing I haven't figured out is how to get the new message number under the email icon on the desktop to display the new messages in Thunderbird. Also, I'd love to me able to minimize Thunderbird to the tray so it can still check for new messages without being "open." I looked at the minimize-to-tray function, but it doesn't work with my current version of Thunderbird (2.0.0.14). Any suggestions on either item?

[PhilthyPhil]

This modification works very nicely for me.

Thanks.

Phil

[corowakid]

Take a bow - you've made it easy for me to my first Linux changes when I actually understood what and why I was doing them!! I've been battling for a while trying to get my head around how things work below the hood. You've made my day my friend. Thanks a lot.

[rohimirre]

hi there,, hope you can read this soon,, i just wanted to ask how can i have nano capabilities?

im new to linux so im not aware what nano is,, thx,,

oh i was able to install thunderbird,, i just want to put it in "Connect" section,, thanks,,

[retsaw]

nano is just a basic command line text editor, you can use any other text editor instead if you prefer.

[Ozlover]

I have done more or less the same as you (the original poster) and have the same 'problems' as you have (the ones in the "? ... ?" section at the bottom of your post).

I also have some additional 'problems':

- A "mailto:" URL, for example in Firefox, still invokes Aspire one Mail (AoM).

- Clicking on an e-mail address, for example in Firefox, still invokes Aspire one Mail.

I have tried (in Advance mode): Right-click on the desktop -> Settings -> Preferred Applications, but whatever I do in the Mail Reader section, the above actions still invoke AoM.

I have tried to set the Mail Reader to "Mozilla Thunderbird" and tried to set it to "Other..." and fill in "/usr/bin/thunderbird "%s"" (without the outer quotes), but nothing helped.

Of course these are minor points, but it would be niced if they could be solved.

Ozlover a.k.a. Frank

[dkazoch]

Thanks, so far so good, but how can I save the changes i made in the config file with nano. I dont find how? I replace with mozilla-thunderbird.desktop, but after the restart everything is gone.

Thanks for helping new linux user like me. I really enjoy this little machine and would like to stay away from MS as long as possible. I even manged the RAM uprage...If I would have know how much dissasembly is needed, i never would have started...hehehhe....but its works as you can see....

[gheek]

- A "mailto:" URL, for example in Firefox, still invokes Aspire one Mail (AoM).

- Clicking on an e-mail address, for example in Firefox, still invokes Aspire one Mail.

I have tried (in Advance mode): Right-click on the desktop -> Settings -> Preferred Applications, but whatever I do in the Mail Reader section, the above actions still invoke AoM.

I have tried to set the Mail Reader to "Mozilla Thunderbird" and tried to set it to "Other..." and fill in "/usr/bin/thunderbird "%s"" (without the outer quotes), but nothing helped.

Hi,

just figured out how to fix this: in Firefox, enter about:config in the address bar. Then filter for a value called network.protocol-handler.app.mailto and change its value to /usr/bin/thunderbird and everything works smoothly as it should

Cheers!

[RooMonster]

I installed thunderbird on my one as I was starting to get annoyed with the one mail application (no keyboard shortcuts, can't move more than one email at once. etc) the problem I had with thunderbird though is that when adding or editing a contact the window is to large for the desktop and extends of the screen with no scroll facility, even when I maximise the window. Does any one know haw to resolve this?

Thanks

[zaphod]

just figured out how to fix this: in Firefox, enter about:config in the address bar. Then filter for a value called network.protocol-handler.app.mailto and change its value to /usr/bin/thunderbird and everything works smoothly as it should

I didn't have that value (in Firefox 3) but the mail client can be simply changed in Firefox via the menus: edit-preferences-applications