Evolution vs Thunderbird vs Outlook

Intrduction to emails

Mail User Agent (MUA) is also known as an Email client. MUA is used to request email
from a Mail Transfer Agent (MTA). The request can be made in 2 forms:

1. Post Office Protocol (POP3): Messages on the server cannot be flagged (as seen or
   forwarded) and messages are removed by default from the server to the MUA.


2. Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP): Messages on the server can be flagged and
   directories are used to managed emails on the server.

MUA must meet formating of email header ( To, CC, BCC, Reply-To) and footer as
described in RFC2822.

For firewall settings, MUA access a standard MTA via port 25 (SMTP). Currently
Transport Layer Security (TLS) is being used in many MTA for connection and transfer
security. Other ports of importance (plain/encrypted):
POP3 (110/995)

IMAP4 (143/993)

HTTP (80/443)

Anyone can read the contents or body of an email moving across MTA and MUA. Therefore
encryption of the Email content is used to protect the sensitive data. This can be in
two forms:S/MIME: requires a trusted body to recognise the userOpenPGP: users can recognise each other (no third party needed)

(T) PluginsLightning: Calendar tool support for WebDav and iCalendarEnigmail: adds OpenPGP message encryption and authentication to your email client. It features automatic encryption, decryption and integrated key management functionality. Enigmail requires GnuPG (www.gnupg.org) or Gpg4win for the cryptographic functions. Note: GnuPG and Gpg4win is not part of the installation.

(O) Viruses

(E) Support ServersMS Exchange, POP3, IMAP, Lotus

(E) clientGmail, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail

(E) License: LGPL

(T) License: MPL, MPL/GNU GPL/GNU LGPL

(O) License: part of MS Office

(T) Calendar: iCalendar, WebDav

(O) Calendar: iCalendar, WebDav

(E) Calendar: iCalendar, WebDav

Platforms

Linux (E),(T)

MS Windows (T),(O)

Links:

(E) http://mail.gnome.org/archives/evolution-list/

(T) http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/rumblingedge/archives/2007/03/tb_2.html

(T) http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/releases/