Thunderbird is email client software running on YOUR computer. Just who are you expecting an apology from?

Dear Airmail. The answer to your question is a perfectly simple one. Who do I expect an apology from? I expect at least a brief word from whoever/whatever is so called in charge of Thunderbird, making sure that the people who "subscribe" to Thunderbird have access to their email account at all times, not just when it suits them. I believe it it is called PROFESSIONAL PRIDE making certain that a product is avaliable to those users at all times.

You do not subscribe to Thunderbird. A subscription indicates that you actually paid for something. You use the software for free to connect to your email provider where you get your email service from. There are no servers at Thunderbird. There are no offices at Thunderbird. It is a volunteer operation. You can always get your email directly from your provider by using their webmail page. You do not need Thunderbird.

I love how the uninformed do not like it when they get an answer and go crying to someone that they were treated poorly. How sad. Get informed on how email works.

I am fully aware that this is a free service to me. I used the term subscribe as an attempt tp state that this email is the only one I have, I do not have the knowlege to send email any other way, and when my server goes off line as it did yesterday I was left with no method of obtaining the information that I have learned to expect from this service. You are quite obviously one of those clever types who fully understand the ins and outs of a computer. I do NOT! If there are no offices at Thunderbird please explain how one is supposed to lodge a complaint when the service is not up to expectations? If ther was an alternative to this service I would not hesitate to apply to it for my email service. To the best of my knowlege there is not therefore I must make the best of what I have. It would be a lot easier if I did not have to put up with your holier-than-thou smart alec comments!

What part of THUNDERBIRD IS NOT AN EMAIL PROVIDER are you having trouble understanding. It is client software not a provider. Google the difference so you can stop making a fool of yourself. Then Contact your real provider and demand an apology. Here is a hint, the part of you address after the @ sign is your provider. Good luck because I have wasted enough time on your ungtateful, uninformed self.

When you are not deeply conversant with something, I think you need to come to it with this question: "Did I do something, or did you do something, or did sh*t happen?" I don't always find it possible to exercise humility, but I often get a better response if I can.

Now, to your question. Once the problem went away, our usual approach of asking you to check things is no longer possible. Why didn't you ask sooner?

Anyway, when it comes to network issues, here's something to keep in mind:

Thunderbird sometimes goes "offline" if there is a network connectivity problem. You would expect that Thunderbird would detect that the network is available again and start fetching mail on schedule. But if you find that is not happening, you could either:

• click the little icon in the lower left corner of the Thunderbird window that looks like two overlapping monitors, to manage the connection
• exit out of Thunderbird and start it up again so the program does a fresh network state detection
• shut down Windows and start it up again, which resets your network adapter(s)

And any time that Thunderbird can't connect, if you want to see your mail immediately, you can go to your mail provider's website and use their web interface to see your mail.

jscher2000, BRAVO, somebody at last who has the good manners to offer me some useful advice and not just slag off at my inability to comprehend this infernal machine. As far as wandering around on any of these pages, whether email or otherwise, it TERRIFIES me, so I avoid going anywhere near those icons. Knowing my luck I would seriously discombobulate the whole shebang and have to call in the NERDS.Thats what happened originally, a long time ago, I hit the wrong button and lost everything, it was expensive getting it all back, that's how come I now have Thunderbird. I have printed your advice, I can manage that and will keep it safe for the next time I cannot access my email. Many thanks who ever you are. In answer to airwave, I am 66 going on 67 and computers in particular an in general scare the sh*t out of me, I keep strictly to what I know and know well!!!