open office

Re-installing my trusty little Thinkpad Z60T is a process that I've been through a dozen times since I first fired this little beauty up in late 2005. It's had just about every flavour of operating system installed from Windows95 through Vista to various flavours of Linux (Ubuntu was definitely my favourite by the way)

After this morning nasty little virus interlude, and as it's just been a long time since I last installed anything exciting on it, I think it's time to try out the Windows Seven Beta... or maybe Ubuntu... or perhaps just plain old Windows... [insert hmmmmmm here]

So this is the process that going to happen this afternoon... probably...

Install Windows 7 - I've download the Beta from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-download.aspx

- or -

Install Ubuntu - from http://www.ubuntu.com - its neat and just simply works, but, I had some problems with skype last time so I'm not sure... that was about a year ago mind you.  :-/

- or -

The latest Beta release for Thunderbird 3 is finally out and it rocks!

This beta release includes:

• Tab interface for Mail
• Improvements to IMAP for faster message viewing
• Improved message reader view
• New Add-ons Manager
• Improved Address Book interface
• Improved import of mail from other Mail clients
• Integration with Windows Vista search
• Integration with Mac OS X Address Book

(1) Download and install the latest Beta Build of Thunderbird

Installation of Thunderbird itself is simple. If you have used the old Thunderbird 2 then the first thing that will look different is that you now see a tabbed view of the main email windows (in the same style as Firefox). But wait, there is loads more under the hood.

As the Developers say:

it’s far from a typical beta. In particular, unlike the traditional definition of a beta release, we’re definitely not done making feature changes, including some pretty significant feature work that we expect will be integrated in Thunderbird 3 in later beta releases, some features that will live as optional add-ons, and some experiments which may end up in later releases of Thunderbird or not, depending on the result of the experiments.

So having taken the decision to REPLACE Microsoft Office with something else it's a strangely worrying, yet cathartic time for me: I feel like I'm kicking a bad habit like smoking, drinking or chainsaw juggling - I know Office may not be the best thing for me, I know it costs me a lot of money but I like it and I've been using it for years.  It's in my comfort zone.

I definitely think its time for me to stand up and announce "my names Nick and I'm an addict"... it's time to go through techno-rehab.

This blog will be edited after succesful installation.

Short lists so far

• Thunderbird 3
• BAT
• Live Mail

NOTES ON WIP:

BAT - nope. just dont like it. very dated feel. clunky. not for me.

Microsoft Live Mail - Love it. email is great and very outlookish. doesnt calender and hooks into windows contacts which is nice. great email client but obviously the light little brother to outlook.

Thunderbird looks best so far. I'm not the biggest fan of its visual style but the junk mail handling is good and its theming abilities allow me to change the looks. The New TB3-BETA version looks to be an Outlook killer. It incorporates email, calendar (lightning) and contacts: