Thunderbird 115 is the last version for Windows 7 and 8
The team that is responsible for the open source email client Thunderbird has released Thunderbid 115 earlier this week. The new version of the email client features a new design and several new features, including new folder views, different new layouts for the client, improved calendar and address books and more.
The new release is not yet available via the built-in updating functionality of the email client, and it may take a while before the upgrade is enabled. Some users noted that some of their extensions stopped working in the new Thunderbird and there are issues to be sorted out first.
Support for older versions of Windows and macOS
Thunderbird 115 will be the last version that is compatible with Microsoft's Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 operating systems. It furthermore is also the last version compatible with Apple's macOS 10.12, 10.13 and 10.14 systems.
Microsoft ended support for Windows 7 and 8.1 in January 2023. These operating systems are no longer supported by Microsoft. Similarly, Apple does not support the older macOS versions anymore.
Most Windows 7 and 8.1 devices can be upgraded to Windows 10, a version of Windows that is supported until October 2025. Microsoft did not change the system requirements between the older versions of Windows and Windows 10.
Thunderbird 115 supports the operating systems. The email client will be supported until late 2024, just like Mozilla Firefox 115 ESR.
Thunderbird users on these operating systems will receive the update to Thunderbird 115 eventually, just like users on newer systems. The email client will then receive regular updates throughout 2023 and most of 2024 on the older systems.
Users on these systems can't install newer versions of Thunderbird anymore, however. Thunderbird 116, which is available as a Beta currently, won't install on these systems anymore.
Closing Words
Windows 7 and 8 users, and macOS 10.14 and earlier users, may continue using Thunderbird until late 2024. This should give most users ample time to move on to a new operating system on the same device or another device.
important matters
For Thunderbird, milestone version “115” has been released for new users, but on the one hand “newly, Version 102.14.0” has been pushed for existing users who use the previous “102”.
Existing users are still blocked from updating to 115.
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/102.14.0/releasenotes/
Version 102.14.0, first offered to channel users on August 2, 2023
Fixed: Security fixes
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/known-vulnerabilities/thunderbird/#thunderbird102.14
Continue to rely on automatic updates for existing Thunderbird 102 users (If you use “About Thunderbird” in the help menu, be aware that there is a risk of executing “Apply manual updates”).
note,
Thunderbird 102.15.0, scheduled for release on August 30, 2023, is the final release of Thunderbird 102.
important matters
For Thunderbird, milestone version “115” has been released for new users, but on the one hand “newly, Version 102.13.1” has been pushed for existing users who use the previous “102”.
Existing users are still blocked from updating to 115.
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/102.13.1/releasenotes/
Version 102.13.1, first offered to channel users on July 26, 2023
fixed: Security fixes
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/known-vulnerabilities/thunderbird/#thunderbird102.13.1
“Most Windows 7 and 8.1 devices can be upgraded to Windows 10”
“can be” is not the same as “should be”. Many older devices simply don’t deserve the abuse and thrashing that comes with windows 10, there is no need to torture the hardware by using an abomination that it was never intended to run.
Those on W7/8 should be looking at adjusting their workflows such that they are not heavily dependent on “fickle” software that has a chance of becoming unusable in the very near future – the only things that typically cause a concern are those which link up to the internet. Browsing is alright for a while with Firefox 115 ESR, and likely to be fine for some time after that anyway. It’s possible to get a linux VM or a seperate linux PC to remote into, for browser related things – just make the downloads a shared folder location.
If its running 7-8.1 and has 64 bit drivers , it can run 10 in vast majority of cases.
Sometimes even better than previous OS.
4GB ram, a multicore cpu with SSD is a good starting point.
If something (hardware, such a laptop of desktop) is from the era of Win7-8, it will not run Win 10 “better”, sorry but that is just not logically possible. That’s like saying “I can lift 50 Kg, it will be even easier to lift 75 Kg”. If you mean reinstalling the OS you have from scratch, I agree that speeds things up in general.
The topic of SSD is also not trivial, and better serves to undermine your earlier point. Running windows 10 on a mechanical hdd is a terrible experience, whereas it’s possible and quite OK on an older OS such as 7. Hell, saying that 4 GB of ram is good for Windows 10 is also a little out of touch with reality. The fact of the matter is it’s not really accurate to say “if your PC ran Win7/8.1, it will run Win 10”, because bundled into that statement are a bunch of caveats, such as upgrading a hdd to an ssd, and maybe adding more/doubling the RAM.
People still using older OS are probably in one of two camps:
1) don’t want the newer OS
2) not tech savvy, or don’t have money/time
Group 1 will ignore what you say, and group 2 might not even be smart enough to know how to do the hardware upgrades necessary to have a normal experience in W10. Or if money is tight, a far better investment would just be to save for a more modern computer, so your advice is still not helpful.
Hypothetically, even with mentioned upgrades, you’d again be using hardware to run an OS that it was not designed for, you are pretty much asking for a bad experience. Just sell or give your laptop to charity if it’s ancient and you want something to run the latest and greatest, no need for delusions.
RIP Thunderbird. Time to move to Betterbird.
Yeah, sure. Let’s all dump Tbird for a tiny-user-base soft-fork that uses Tbird code anyway, and is controlled by a pissed-off ex-Tbird-employee.
Not.
I like what Betterbird is doing (more so than what the mother ship is doing, in many cases), but until Jorg and Tbird get along better, this isn’t something I’d install on a client’s machine.
> RIP Thunderbird. Time to move to Betterbird.
> but until Jorg and Tbird get along better,
Strange BS that will make you laugh!
Jörg Knobloch (:jorgk) is the main member responsible for the “Standalone Mail Application” in the new Thunderbird.
And Betterbird is the public version of Thunderbird development testing (Thunderbird Nightly). Betterbird is not rivalryed forks, rather cooperationed with Thunderbird (Thunderbird is the Release version, Betterbird is the Thunderbird Nightly version).
Naturally,
Betterbird (Thunderbird Nightly version: 116+) does not support Windows 7 and 8, 8.1.
quoted from the article
> Some users noted that some of their extensions stopped working in the new Thunderbird and there are issues to be sorted out first.
The newborn Thunderbird actively pursues native implementations of important and popular extensions deemed “very beneficial”.
The following extensions have been natively implemented (extensions are unnecessary)
Enigmail, ImportExportTools NG, Manually sort folders, Minimize on Close, Search Results Sort By Date Not Relevance.
For items whose native implementation has been completed, extension development support will end, and the Thunderbird project (Thunderbird/Core_Team) will be responsible for support thereafter.
Others will be implemented in the same way (announcements will be made on the official blog, ATN: addons.thunderbird.net, etc.).