When I save an email in Thunderbird, I save to Local Folders where I have several sub folders. When I open a subfile to read one of the saved emails, everything is still on the email including the senders email address. I do not know if the little ball is something due to Visa, I use XP Pro but my version of Thunderbird is the same as yours. To create the subfolders under Local Folders, right click on Local Folder and then right click on Local Folder, choose New Folder, when the little box comes up give the folder a name and save it.

Yes, and I updated to Thunderbird 2.0.0.24, the subject of another thread by me posted about the same time - seems 3.0 isn't yet ready for "prime time". I have now moved all may Thunderbird activity to my new Notebook. I will move Outlook soon and have already moved Firefox with bookmarks.. so about ready to shut down my old (now typing on) notebook. I may try to find out what is wrong with the old notebook... I am thinking doing a dual load of Linux with XP and see if that will fix the boot problem. The dual load process provides a new overlay boot environment, and if that fixes the problem booting XP, then it isn't the HDD. I have no problems as long as I don't shut down... but I "digress" again :)

I have used hotmail as my primary email since 97, I started out as an msn dial up customer and got the hotmail and msn email addies, I use the hotmail daily. I am now with Verizon fios which also has msn so I still have all my msn addies. I also have the msn browser which I love to use to view my hotmail. I have not tried the hotmail live since I like the one I have so well. My other fave is using gmail through mozilla thunderbird. Works super good and no ads at all plus all the good points of gmail and the ease of thunderbird and of course there are add ons for thunderbird just like for firefox. If you already have a gmail account I would say try downloading and setting up thunderbird to get your gmail and use it. The directions to do that are on the gmail site under the settings tab, using Pop and Imap, thunderbird's new version is supposed to be set up following the imap directions. It is very simple. You can then have your full address book and it will fetch all your mail for you. Here is a link that might be useful: thunderbird

Dayl... Thanks, yes the "welcome" is in the inbox preview window. I don't find the scene particularly objectionable, but it takes time to load (I'm still on dial up) time that used to be used to check my ISP inbox and to notify me if there are any messages to download. I understand you to say remove the preview window, shut TB down and restart it in that mode. You mention drag the windwo size down (to zero), but I'd assume to chose no preview window would also work...we could test lots of things and I don't suggest that be done, thanks for the tip.