Lightweight Open Source Email Client For Win7

Hi. For all those that might be interested, i stumbled upon this Open Source Outlook Express-like email application today , in my quest to find something suitable for Win7 x64, which lacks a preinstalled email client.


http://sylpheed.sraoss.jp/en/

- It's open source.
- It's very light, doesn't even need installation, it runs from an unzipped folder.
- Its interface is like a clone of Outlook Express.
- Unlike Thunderbird, the default font size is OK.
- Basic options, for those that don't want to do fancy stuff with their mail client, but just want the job done easily and quickly, without getting lost in 1000 menus and submenus.


For people who migrated to Win 7 and find Windows Live Mail too bulky or Thunderbird too complicated, you may want to give it a try.

Also , unlike most other commercial free email clients, you don't have to worry about this one sending home info about your PC.

 

Been using Sylpheed for years on and off.
Nice simple lightweight client.
You may want also to take a look at Claws Mail (formerly Sylpheed Claws). A development branch of Sylpheed which is now developed on it's own. A bit more polished than Sylpheed.
http://www.claws-mail.org/win32/
Both are popular in the Linux community.
Neither, unfortunately, offer spell check for Win.

 

I have tried Sylpheed. I prefer to use Spicebird with my hotmail account, and other accounts. I have been using the portable beta version from portable apps. It might not meet your criteria, but it has proven pretty stable for me now for a couple months, no issues.

Sul.

 

Thanks guys, i will try these 2 too. I thought i had tried all free mail clients out there, apparently not.

Spicebird, looking at the features is probably an overkill for my needs (i just loved Outlook Express in XP and never wanted anything more complicated than that).


Claws Mail looks more promicing for my needs, since it's a cousin of Sylpheed. Anyway, i am SO glad i could ditch Thunderbird and i didn't like Live Mail much either.

 

Why, I wonder?

http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/French-Tax-authorities-switching-to-Thunderbird-846254.html

 

Because it's overcomplicated for its own good. Even the default fonts are awful (too small) and setting them right isn't easy either. Generally, i 've never seen a more twisted settings menu than in Thunderbird.

The french state may want to cut money and install Thunderbird. Just like the german state i believe uses Linux. Well, Linux isn't the best choice for my needs and neither is Thunderbird.

 

I share your sentiments about OE. I have been with hotmail since way way back, when they first started. When M$ acquired it, they let peeps use OE for some time before making it payable only. I know many who have never used OE with hotmail because they could not.

I loved the way OE worked with hotmail, you just download the headers, the message stayed until you brought it in. It allowed you to preview what was there, then delete what you did not want, all the while leaving your emails on the hotmail server.

I cannot remember why I did not use sylpheed, but one thing is for sure, I use Spicebird very specifically because it allows me to get the headers, delete what I don't want without it coming down to my computer, much like OE did. I tried all the free ones I could find, and Spicebird ended up being the 'least' complicated of them, providing you don't use any of the other features. The only thing you don't get with Spicebird is the folder layout the way OE did it, and the same way live mail does it. I use the portable version because I can quickly copy it to USB if I am going to be working on the laptop for some time, and then put it back on my desktop. This keeps my sorting scheme intact across different computers.

I have tried LiveMail, and while it is not too bad, it is just not really slim enough for me, and quite frankly it, like Vista/7, seems like they no longer want you to be able to set things easily. I don't have the desire to right click on every folder and say 'download headers only' every time it decides to set it back to 'get all messages', which for some reason continually happens.

Just some food for your thoughts.

Sul.

 

Well, i uninstalled Slypheed because it can't display mails in HTML...

Claws also wants to install a service.

Spicebird is obviously based on Thunderbird. As soon as i saw the miniscule fonts of Thunderbird i said "Yikes!" and uninstalled immediately.

FINALLY, i found the best solution for me.

EM Client. Not open source, but free and with no strange privacy EULA or auto-phone home.

http://emclient.com/

Very Outlook Express looking too and easy configuration. I particularly like the fact that just like OE, you can store the mails database on another hard disk. Since i use ISR software, that's very nice for me, since i don't have to worry about forgetting to save mails or contacts.

 

You can do that with Popcorn:

http://www.ultrafunk.com/popcorn/

 

emclient, it's getting better and better