Mac OS X tips - Thunderbird

Setting Thunderbird as default mail client

In Panther, Apple seems to have dumped the Internet panel in System Preferences, where you used to be able to set the default browser, mail reader, etc. You can select Thunderbird as the default mail client in the preferences for Mail.app; after that you need never use it again. ;)

Setting Thunderbird as default news reader

You can use Monkeyfood's More Internet PreferencePane. Look for news and nntp in the list of protocols. If they are there, click Change. If not, click Add.... You will end up in a standard File Dialog. Select Thunderbird.

You can also use Classic's Internet control panel to set this.

Importing local folders from Mail

There is not (yet?) a formal import tool, but you can do it manually: http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20040401075611985