Somewhat secure email clients for Windows?

[gore]

Hey all, I've stayed clear of Windows Email clients for as long as possible as I don't trust them normally and generally just plain don't like them, but recently I've needed something to just check email when I'm booted into XP.

I'm not sure where to even begin looking so I decided why not here? So here is what I want:

An Email client that runs on Windows XP

Is at least somewhat secure against viruses / worms things of that nature (This alone usually prevents me from checking mail on Windows)

Isn't a total RAM / Resource hog (Though this isn't as important, I'll take a slow client over a fast insecure one)

The UI I'm not worried about. So easy to use or "This client picks who it's friends with" I'm not worried either way, my usual mail client of choice is Mutt.

I know Mutt runs on Windows but I'd really prefer if the client is written for use in Windows (Again this is another one I'm not worried about as much either, so if it's another OSs client ported, cool).

The reason I need one is that lately I haven't had time to reboot as I've been doing some things in Windows (Like teaching myself to use it again as I got so used to UNIX based OSs I needed to re-learn a lot of DOS stuff) and I just don't have the time some days to reboot, check my email, and then reboot to finish tasks I have to use Windows for.

So I loaded up Outlook Express. I like the overall speed at which is loads and checks mail, but I know it's hostory so I'm weary of REALLY using it. I like the UI to it, it's simply laid out and customizable in a way.

MY Fiancee uses Thunderbird and I'm not really into it as we both use the same account for dailey use and I don't want it confusing my mail with Her's and so on, so if possible I'd like something else, though if everyone says it's the best flat out I may use it.

Anyway, anyone who uses Windows XP, and it's their main OS, what Email client do you use? What do you like about it? What don't you like about it? All recommendations are welcome, and thanks to anyone who gives this some time.

-gore

[IKnowNot]

Hey, What's up? How have you been?

Personally, I use Thunderbird. Since I never know what computer I am going to be using to check my mail I have all but one leave messages on the server. That way I have one machine that I have to back-up with ALL the email contained in one spot.

Here is one benefit: My wife uses SeaMonkey ( that is the one that removes the messages from the server. ) If I build another box ( Windows or Linux ) it is not that difficult to copy the profile over to the new box ( SeaMonkey is built off Firefox and Thunderbird. ) I just have separate user profiles for my wife and I.

( just a little tip here: my wife likes SeaMonkey because she likes to check her mail when she opens the browser: she likes the suite. Just make sure you place the female's profile in the top position of choices so it opens as the default when the profile manager opens. They can get confused, er, pissed if they have to click an extra time to choose their profile and you don't! I don't mind the extra mouse click if it keeps her happy. )
Thunderbird can also use the profile manager for multiple users.

Another thing I like about it is that I can share the same profile on my laptop between Windows and Linux. ( you just have to move the profile's folders to a partition that both Windows and Linux can read and write to. You also have to make sure to keep the version numbers in sync. )
Any mail I downloaded in one OS can be read in the other. That way I always have access to all my mail whatever OS I booted to.

I do the same with FireFox on my laptop, and the only problem I have ever found is that occasionally, if I used it in one OS then change to the other, the first time I open the browser I get that "welcome to firefox" page. Reload and it goes back to my homepage. My bookmarks, etc. are all preserved between OSs.

[oofki]

The Mail client is not what needs to be secure it is the communications and that depends on what your server supports. As far as a/v stuff... you just need to make sure the a/v you use has a plugin that works with your mail client.

[IKnowNot]

oofki said:

The Mail client is not what needs to be secure it is the communications and that depends on what your server supports. As far as a/v stuff... you just need to make sure the a/v you use has a plugin that works with your mail client.

I do not think this is what gore is asking.
He is an avid and outspoken user of Mutt
This is a text-based e-mail client.

Thunderbird can be configured to view messages in plain text as he is used to ( on a per user/account basis, ) as well as using TLS or SSL, digital signing and certificates.

Yes, an AV is important ( especially when using Windows ) but even the best AV vendor is behind what is out there on the Net. Viewing e-mails in plain-text is an easy way to mitigate many zero-day exploits. ( if you don't understand this, PM me, I'll explain it better when I am sober. )

IMHO html e-mail should be banned everywhere!

WTF do I need to read some *******'s e-mail in purple text ?????? ( edited by AO, ******* was a-s-s-h-o-l-e )

Why do I need someone's e-mail loading and starting programs on my computer????

Thunderbird can be configured to block java-script in messages, block loading of remote images, etc.

And AFAIK unless you go really out of your way it does not run ActiveX !!!!!!!!!!!!

.

[SirDice]

Yep, thunderbird here too

[gore]

Thanks everyone, much appreciated. And yea, I'm a Mutt lover, heh, I like not having to use X when checking mail, or many resources (My Mbox file was over 700 MBs from the amount of Linux, FreeBSD, and security mailing lists I was on with multiple email accounts so Mutt was a good choice for a lot of it) so just wanted to say thanks much!