More on the future of open source Eudora
The latest MacNotables podcast 
(Adam Engst, Jason Snell, Chuck Joiner et al.) is focussed on the future of the open source Eudora, which is to be rebuilt from the ground up on Thunderbird’s code.
Two long-time Eudora users — Adam Engst (TidBITs) and Jason Snell (MacWorld editor) — talk about what they would like to see in the new version and make a few points on the need for innovation in email programs in general. Eudora users are also encouraged to get involved in the development of the new creation.
The new Eudora will be called Penelope (presumably after the woman (Wikipedia ) who waited for years and years with increasing impatience for her husband Odysseus to come home whilst she fended off a swarm of suitors with various deceits).
It will be a long wait for Eudora users too. Only after two intermediate steps do developers expect to release Penelope 1.0. And only then,
once we finish version 1.0, we will divide our attention between bringing over some of the more obscure Eudora features and customizations, and doing new work.Tags: email, Eudora, last roll of the dice, mail client, open source, penelope, thunderbird
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October 30th, 2006 at 12:58 pm
yeah, looks like it’s going to take way too long for most eudora users…i know hundreds within just one association and we’re all discussing migrating to mail.app and or thunderbird…too little too late…what a let down for eudora users, huh?
…but you know what’s nice? the developers have actually said exactly what’s going to happen, no padding or overpromising, and they are the core people, not random folks - note to folks who didn’t visit the wiki: these are the original eudora architects who created both windows and mac versions now working on penelope, so i trust it will be excellent, not good, when it is finally done…
October 30th, 2006 at 1:18 pm
Apple Mail is quite a nice email client, and it doesn’t look like it is going to be open-sourced any time soon ;-)
October 30th, 2006 at 1:58 pm
I figured the name Penelope comes from Lady Penelope who is a major character in the show The Thunderbirds
October 30th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
hah! honestly, eudora is a killer email app…but with so many needs for web access and a personal preference for tagging etc, the use of folders and all of that makes mail.app much more appealing both now and in the next version…not a huge thunderbird fan, used it for years as well…don’t need a lot of the advanced utility…
October 30th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
Chris — I never thought of that. You have the Thunderbirds connection to strengthen your case.
If only I had spent less of my childhood reading Homer and more watching TV, I would have hit upon that too.