I guess I'll be that dismissive current user. I don't like random UI changes in a tool I use as frequently as a mail client. The new icons don't look too bad, even if I dislike their flat nature.

I don't think TB looks dated. It looks functional. Which is exactly what I want from a mail client. If I want something that looks modern but is dysfunctional, I'll just switch to Outlook.

I obviously don't begrudge the fact Thunderbird currently works for you. But there are a few issues with the current UI:

* Dark mode didn't exist for a long time, and I'm glad it does, but messages are still displayed brightly.

* The list of emails always has a columns and a header; there's no simplified vertical view.

* There's a threading view, but IIRC it doesn't combine sent and received messages into the same thread view.

just gave it a test, the design additions are introduced gently. Defaults for listings are on the familiar view. Menu quick actions exist to go from compact to normal to more padding.

I had the 2-line message header view on my wishlist for a long time. Thunderbird did pretty great.

>it doesn't combine sent and received messages into the same thread view.

As I posted above, there is a setting for saving sent emails in the inbox along with received messages, so that threads are complete.

Thanks, if I'm honest I had skimmed over that setting before, not understanding its purpose. (It also looks like they're now introducing a unified inbox, which is what I wanted.)

I had no idea that's what that setting would do. Not having my replies in threads has always been a huge annoyance.

> I don't think TB looks dated. It looks functional. Which is exactly what I want from a mail client.

This.

For better or worse, I've rather come to view "modern" flashy UI aesthetics as being indicative of poorly performing software. It's not fair, I recognize, but in my personal experience, it's a reasonable heuristic.