I am trying to decide whether to stay with The Bat (moving back to the last version 1 version which I guess is 1.62) or whether to simply move to another email program. I find staying with Version 2 impossible because there are several mailing lists that I post to where some of my messages end up in Base 64 encoding. To make a long story short, I have checked all of my TB setting including the quotable-printable thing and I still have the problem even though I am now totally posting using plain text, fixed width font, etc. I am convinced that this is not something that I am doing. Rather it is something about how TB itself is working in version 2 that seems to cause this problem for some subset of users. I never know when the problem will occur. It is on some replies but occasionally even on new messages. I am persuaded that this is something only the developers can fix and since it is a low incidence problem (although seemingly persistent for a few of us) am doubtful it will be solved.
� So, I must look at alternatives. The decision is whether to step back to the lower version of TB or whether to go with another program. The difficulty I am having is that I know what features I really like about TB (and which I don't), but I no longer know which programs have those features and which are unique to TB. I know that many on this list do keep other with other mail program so would appreciate input so I can figure out which program has the best total mix of needed features: � Programs I have looked at so far to a greater or lesser extent: � TB, version 1.62 -- used this one before version 2 Becky -- My impression is filtering is limited Pocomail -- Like the interface a lot Pegasus -- Don't like the interface Eudora -- What I used to use up through version 4.2 and then changed to TB. Downloaded current but haven't tried yet. Mahogany -- Suggested to me but not tried yet. � What is important to me: � 1. Must be able to do a filter that does two things or run multiple filters to do the following: I move list mail to a folder for that list. Simultaneously, I want a copy of the message to be moved to another folder, and marked read, so that I can then maintain a complete archive of all list mails. Pocomail and Pegasus seem to be able to do this. Don't know about Eudora. Doesn't seem like Becky could do it. What can TB do on filters that no other program can do? Which program has filter abilities most similar to that of TB? � 2. Must be able to handle keeping around a lot of messages. I have complete archives of mailing lists going back a few years. This is a couple of hundred thousand messages. TB can handle this. Is this unique to TB or can others? � 3. I like to be able to compose and view messages using whatever font is comfortable for me. With TB version 2, I am currently limited to basically having to look at Courier all the time. Virtually all other mail programs seem superior to TB in this regard. � 4. While I don't send messages in HTML, I like being able to easily read HTML messages. TB seems more limited than programs such as Pocomail and Pegasus. � 5. Quick templates. I have several quick templates I like to use in TB. Is this type of thing unique to TB or do other programs have similar functionality? � 6. Multiple signatures that you can automatically set up to be used with different types of messages (that is, filter A to all messages to List B and Filter C for all messages to List D). Do other programs now have this ability? � 7. A minor point -- but one dear to my heart. On TB, I have a cookies file that randomly inserts selected quotes as a tagline. What other programs can do this? I think Pegasus can, but I hate its interface so much that probably isn't enough to make me go with Pegasus. Can Pocomail or Eudora or any other program do this other than TB? � 8. Easy ability to search and find specific messages. Eudora, way back when, was very good with this. TB below version 2 was weak in this area. TB, version 2 is much better and this is one reason I hate to have to go back a version. Pocomail seems to work well in this regard, don't know about others. � So, which programs have these features? Of those programs are there major negatives or bugs that weigh against these features. Looking at my archive I saw someone posted a negative comment about Pocomail and serious bug about 6 months ago. However, I don't know what the negatives are other than I've heard it is "slow" but it hasn't been slow for me the past couple of days. ________________________________________________ Current version is 2.01.3 | "Using TBUDL" information: http://www.silverstones.com/thebat/TBUDLInfo.html
