If you use the Thunderbird email client, you may not be getting a lot of new features from now on. Mozilla has confirmed that it will be cutting back on Thunderbird software development.
In a post on her blog, Mitchell Baker, the Chairman of the Mozilla Foundation, stated:
Much of Mozilla’s leadership — including that of the Thunderbird team — has come to the conclusion that on-going stability is the most important thing, and that continued innovation in Thunderbird is not a priority for Mozilla’s product efforts ... As a result, the Thunderbird team has developed a plan that provides both stability for Thunderbird’s current state and allows the Thunderbird community to innovate if it chooses.
Baker added that most of Thunderbird"s users seem "happy" with its current features. She said that with the rise of web-based email solutions, " ... focusing on stability for Thunderbird and driving innovation through other offerings seems a natural choice."
Mozilla has already posted up a plan on its Wiki page that is designed to give Thunderbird users a way to contribute new features to the email client if they wish.
The first version of the platform released to the public in 2003; Mozilla said today that there are now 20 million users of the client worldwide.
Source: Mitchell Baker"s blog