Thunderbird 3 is the Trunk while the Branch, Thunderbird 2, is the current code line leading to the next release. Mozilla works on two products at once. For instance, in Firefox, the tree is divided into Branch and Trunk. The Branch is working towards a 2.x release while the Trunk is leading towards a 3.x release. In both cases, the trunk is where code lands first, so it’s the best place to try new features, though bugs are a plenty.
You may recall that it was originally called “Phoenix.” Version 2 went into a sudden fiery blaze which, having investigated the soft ash remains, version 3 was discovered.
I’m running the pre-release (release candidate) version of 2 at the moment. It’s pretty nice as well. Can’t remember where I got it from though – sorry.
Last number I heard was a code freeze at the end of February, so even as exceedingly slow as our release wheels grind, I’d be surprised if it didn’t come out in March.
Pity they aren’t still trying to coordinate releases like they did with 1.0.x and to a lesser extent, 1.5.x. Thunderbird seems to exist in Firefox’s shadow, which is a damn shame.
This is really the best place to go to find out what’s really going on in the world of Thunderbird, SunBird and Lightning. The sidebar has links to the latest builds of all three.
Wouldn’t The Mozilla Thunderbird Release Page (http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/releases/) be a natural place to have them? I sure think so, at least. But are they there? No. So, where are they?
Matt, you ask the right question, a question that many computer users are asking — people that don’t install betas or know what a release roadmap is. Heliologue is right in that it is more than a shame that there was not coordination of releases.
It is now three months since Firefox 2’s release. Surely planning and executing a Thunderbird 2 release within a month of Firefox 2 best thing for Mozilla and for the rest of us.
While Thunderbird does seem neglected when compared to Firefox, TB 2 is looking good. I use the beta on my MacBook and it’s a very worthwhile upgrade. Obviously it would be nice if Thunderbird could keep up with Firefox in terms of releases but then there’s no point in rushing a job and doing it badly.
So to find the latest Thunderbird builds (that are announced on single islands of web pages not linked to from anywhere, so they aren’t possible to discover unless you magically manage to enter the URI manually in the address field of your browser), you have to browse through an FTP directory? Seriously?
@Peter Lurie, as far as I know there has never been an announcement of “merging of Eudora with Thunderbird”, as I recall it, Eudora plans for there next version to be based on Thunderbird, but that should be mostly under the skin.
It should also be great news for Thunderbird because more developer eyes and more brand and technology recognition.
Thunderbird 3 is the Trunk while the Branch, Thunderbird 2, is the current code line leading to the next release. Mozilla works on two products at once. For instance, in Firefox, the tree is divided into Branch and Trunk. The Branch is working towards a 2.x release while the Trunk is leading towards a 3.x release. In both cases, the trunk is where code lands first, so it’s the best place to try new features, though bugs are a plenty.
You may recall that it was originally called “Phoenix.” Version 2 went into a sudden fiery blaze which, having investigated the soft ash remains, version 3 was discovered.
It went beta:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/releases/2.0b2.html
I’m running the pre-release (release candidate) version of 2 at the moment. It’s pretty nice as well. Can’t remember where I got it from though – sorry.
I noticed that also.
Last number I heard was a code freeze at the end of February, so even as exceedingly slow as our release wheels grind, I’d be surprised if it didn’t come out in March.
I am, of course, surprised a lot.
Pity they aren’t still trying to coordinate releases like they did with 1.0.x and to a lesser extent, 1.5.x. Thunderbird seems to exist in Firefox’s shadow, which is a damn shame.
If you want to know what’s really going on check out “The Rumbling Edge” (Weekly developments in Mozilla Thunderbird builds). http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/rumblingedge/
This is really the best place to go to find out what’s really going on in the world of Thunderbird, SunBird and Lightning. The sidebar has links to the latest builds of all three.
What puzzles me is how you’re supposed to navigate to pages like http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/releases/2.0b2.html and http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/releases/2.0a1.html. These release pages only seem to exist separately from the rest of the website, without a single external reference. I’m of course wrong (I must be!), but I haven’t found any place to find a list of development releases like this Alpha 1 and Beta 2 release.
Wouldn’t The Mozilla Thunderbird Release Page (http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/releases/) be a natural place to have them? I sure think so, at least. But are they there? No. So, where are they?
The latest Thunderbird 2 builds can be found here.
The current Thunderbird 2 builds are listed under the latest “mozilla1.8” nightly directory.
Quality Assurance and Testing Blog for Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird is obviously a great resource for finding out the general status of the versions near release.
Matt, you ask the right question, a question that many computer users are asking — people that don’t install betas or know what a release roadmap is. Heliologue is right in that it is more than a shame that there was not coordination of releases.
It is now three months since Firefox 2’s release. Surely planning and executing a Thunderbird 2 release within a month of Firefox 2 best thing for Mozilla and for the rest of us.
While Thunderbird does seem neglected when compared to Firefox, TB 2 is looking good. I use the beta on my MacBook and it’s a very worthwhile upgrade. Obviously it would be nice if Thunderbird could keep up with Firefox in terms of releases but then there’s no point in rushing a job and doing it badly.
What ever happened to the planned merging of Eudora with Thunderbird? Is this still in process or has it died?
Wondering whether to update to Thunderbird, or wait…
So to find the latest Thunderbird builds (that are announced on single islands of web pages not linked to from anywhere, so they aren’t possible to discover unless you magically manage to enter the URI manually in the address field of your browser), you have to browse through an FTP directory? Seriously?
@Peter Lurie, as far as I know there has never been an announcement of “merging of Eudora with Thunderbird”, as I recall it, Eudora plans for there next version to be based on Thunderbird, but that should be mostly under the skin.
It should also be great news for Thunderbird because more developer eyes and more brand and technology recognition.