PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT
Why is Thunderbird forcing me to use Gmail?
Q I wanted to set up a new email address, distinct from my Gmail account, but Thunderbird insists on using my current Gmail address. Initially, I thought this was for Mozilla to contact me if needed, but it seems I can’t have a different email address without paying for one endorsed by Thunderbird. I prefer to keep Gmail and Thunderbird separate. I also have a TalkTalk email address, but to use that I need to first sign into the TalkTalk website and then sign in again on the email account. Imagine doing all that in Android just to send or read a onesentence email. It was my fault originally for putting a name in my Gmail address that’s not my real name, so it seems I am condemned to use it for the rest of my life! I also have an old Hotmail address, but I’m unsure if it’s a web-based or a standalone service, like I assumed Thunderbird would be. Things seem to get more complicated when you get over 80! I have tried to set up an email account with Mailbird (www.getmailbird.com) and others, but they all demanded my Gmail address. What happened to freedom of choice?
Jack Woods
A There’s a lot to unpack here, but we’ll start by outlining the difference between email services and email ‘clients’ – as this seems to be causing you some confusion.
There’s plenty of overlap between these two concepts, but suffice to say that Google (with Gmail) and TalkTalk are email services. That means these companies run server computers that administer the emails you send or receive.
Now let’s consider email clients. These are the programs or apps that interact with the email services. In this context, the web interfaces you use for both Gmail and your TalkTalk account could be considered email clients of those services, albeit integrated ones.
However, you are not limited tonew email address from a selection of providers (see screenshot ). But if you don’t take up that option, then Thunderbird (or any other email client) will ask for the email address that you want to use.
