Thunderbird in Microsoft Store?

[Puppy2012]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/thund ... cvbx66llqf

Is it an official build or a scam?

[tanstaafl]

It looks like a unofficial port.

The Microsoft Store seems to mainly have Xbox apps and applications that support Universal Windows Platform (UWP). Thunderbird doesn't support UWP AFAIK. The description says its a port of Thunderbird version 60.7.x to the Microsoft Store, thanks to Store Ports and the open source community. That means its not official. The requirements section says it requires Windows 10 version 14393.0 or higher.

The installation section section says "Get this app while signed in to your Microsoft account and install on up to ten Windows 10 devices." That's a new restriction added by whoever/whatever Store Ports is. The publisher is listed as opensourcedevelopment@outlook.com , which makes me think Store Ports is not a person, its referring to some Microsoft dept.

My recommendation is to avoid it. Portable Thunderbird is a unofficial port (that leaves most of the components in Thunderbird as is) to make Thunderbrid more useful for roving users by letting you install it on a flash drive and disabling it needing to write to your hard disk/windows registry. I don't see what value this "port" adds.

[Puppy2012]

My point is whether Mozzila should be notified and ask Microsoft to remove it from the Store.

[tanstaafl]

I raised the issue in a post on the tb-planning mailing list.

[tanstaafl]

The tb-planning thread is https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic ... nJ0gT9gpJM . It mentions that the Thunderbird Council (the governing body for the Thunderbird development project) is discussing the issue, and has contacted the author of the add-on.

FYI The Tanstaafl in that thread is not me, I had to post using my real name.

[tanstaafl]

https://www.ghacks.net/2019/06/17/fake- ... oft-store/