On 23/10/2020 08:04, Simon Walter wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Yes, I use TB. Please excuse me for living.
>
> I am wondering how other TB and GPG users are dealing with:
> https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:OpenPGP:Migration-From-Enigmail
>
> From what I understand, I now have to maintain two copies of my key
> rings: the regular one and the one *inside* TB.

I believe that it is possible to continue using GnuPG with Thunderbird's
new OpenPGP implementation using a smartcard. Have a look here:
https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:OpenPGP:Smartcards

It *might* be possible to modify this approach to use GnuPG without a
smartcard under the new Thunderbird (version 78 onwards).

> Somehow this smells like maybe someone didn't read Superiority or they
> just hate their users and want them to go away.

You're not the only one to come to this conclusion, or something like it.

> Has any of you TB users (assuming there are any here} done this
> migration? How is the new shiny? Is it fine? Shall I forget about TB?
> Any suggestions of what could replace it?

I'm not in a hurry to do it. I want to let the bugs get very thoroughly
sorted out first.

The reason for this change is that Thunderbird is deprecating all its
old addons (the entire ecosystem) and Enigmail won't work on the new
Thunderbird. It's less than satisfactory.

> Though, I want to consider alternatives as, I somehow don't trust
> Mozilla ever since they became SJ warring virtue signalers. Sure, it
> was a while ago. I find it hard to move on, which, like many of you,
> is why I don't like it when software changes.

Note that Thunderbird is no longer being developed in-house by Mozilla.
They cast it adrift several years ago for development by the community.
For several years nothing much happened but, more recently,
Thunderbird's structure has been formalised in a corporation that is now
a wholly owned subsidiary of Mozilla Foundation.

If you think this sounds like Mozilla are still developing it I'd
understand but, in fact, it is now separate and has its own governing
council. Where the corporate leadership come from I am less than clear.

Disclaimer: I say all of the above as a very long time user of
Thunderbird who is (a) not happy with the direction in which Thunderbird
is now being taken and (b) who is not impressed with the outward
appearance of the style of governance of  the project. Whether or not it
would be possible to continue Thunderbird development in any other way
with currently available resources is questionable.


--
Mark Rousell