Switching Outlook 2002 users to Thunderbird

[Sunny G]

I'm sure you all know how difficult it is to deal with the non-computer savvy in computer matters. I live with such people and they drive me up the wall. :eek:

It took me a year to make them to abandon Internet Exploder and switch to Firefox. Now I want them to abandon Outlook 2002 in favor of Thunderbird. I installed it six months ago, and they have been using both, simultaneously. Ever since then they have been complaining about how they need to use both so they can have their—blasphemous—little outlook program yet use Thunderbird to keep me happy. There is no understanding them.

They know I was right about Firefox:p and despite all my arguments they will not switch. Have any of you good pro Thunderbird stories, or arguments that I can use to enlighten these poor souls?

[chrismartz]

Are these educators (teachers) you are trying to have switch applications? :P Because it sounds like it!

[MstrBob]

Well, Outlook is a more stable and feature complete program than Thunderbird.

Ask them specifically what about Outlook they like and prefer. Then show them the corresponding functionality in Thunderbird, install extensions to add the functionality, or pretend like the feature is unimportant because Thunderbird doesn't support it ;) .

[russell]

hey sunnyg, i live in pangea too!!! well, at least a little part of it that broke off and floated away. we call it north america here...

there is no real reason to waste energy trying to convince people to get away from outlook. surely u have more imprtant things to do. use the software u like and let your family/friends use what they like. computer savvy != "miscrosoft sucks". let it be. open source and proprietary software each have their strengths and weaknesses. computer savvy should equal "yes, i understand that each has it's strengths"

yo mstrbob...outlook is a more stable and feature complete program than Outlook ??? do u mean outlook express? or did u mean thunderbird...? i ask because, while some may argue that outlook and outlook express both suck, i would say they each have their place (ok, maybe not oe :) ) but certainly outlook is pretty feature rich, and in a protected environment (meaning a firewalled, virus safe, corporate environment), it may be the best mail client around -- at least foir that environment.

[MstrBob]

Whoops, thank-you russell, I corrected my post. Indeed, what I meant to say was that Outlook is more stable and feature rich than Thunderbird. Outlook express is a bad excuse for a mail client, I could easily enough see why you'd want to switch from that.

russell brings up a valid point, though. Not everything Microsoft touches is horrible, and their office software has historically been one of their strong points. Although me, being a student, fast and thin clients are my preferred apps (AbiWord FTW!) because I don't require many of the features. But that's why Open Source exists, to provide choices. Thunderbird might not be their choice - it's mean and lean (real lean), they may need Outlook's features.

[Sunny G]

Ask them specifically what about Outlook they like and prefer. Then show them the corresponding functionality in Thunderbird, install extensions to add the functionality, or pretend like the feature is unimportant because Thunderbird doesn't support it ;) .

That's what I will do, although Thunderbird already has everything they need to use. It's great because they don't use the calendar, but Thunderbird has the built in Spam control which Outlook lacks.

Thanks everybody, please keep posting!

Happy Holidays!