Mozilla releases Sunbird and Lighting 0.5

by Brad Linder Jun 27th 2007

It's been a long time coming, but Mozilla's Sunbird and Lightning calendar programs have hit 0.5. Sunbird is a standalone calendar application, while Lightning is an extension for Mozilla's Thunderbird email program.

While neither program gets as much attention as their big brothers Firefox and Thunderbird, they're pretty robust calendars, and the 0.5 releases include a ton of new features and bug fixes.

Refined user interface
Automatic migration of data from Sunbird 0.2, iCal, and Evolution
Improved printing function
Lightning works better with Thunderbird (when it comes to things like copying and pasting or printing)
Support for Google Calendar (via the Google Calendar Provider extension)

Sunbird and Lightning 0.5 are available for Windows, OS X, and Linux. Version 1.0 is scheduled for an early 2008 release.

[via Mozilla Calendar Weblog]

Tags: calendar, lightning, sunbird

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Kansir said 4:50AM on 6-28-2007

After using extension, it allows bidirectional access to Google Calendar. It's very good.

However, many people need to sync events to mobile phone. Does there any way to sync Sunbird or Lightning to mobile phone using iSync?

If there is no sync option, i think most people will still need to stick with iCal.

Neil Cauldwell said 7:43AM on 6-28-2007

I'm two weeks in to using my first ever Mac (the new MBP), and I've yet to work out my calendar/to-do list strategy. Thunderbird has done a great job of handling desktop email client duties, but I haven't made much use of Lighting yet, iCal having proved more useful so far. However, I'm have the understanding that neither of these services will provide me with web access to my calender without working in combination with something else.

Is it possible to use a combination of iCal and Lightning on the desktop, and sync it all with Google Calendar for remote access? Or, am I going bonkers and there's a much easier way of doing this?

robot rock said 1:46PM on 6-28-2007

May want to re-read this for the numerous spelling errors.

Matthew Peck said 6:14PM on 7-02-2007

Hi Kansir & Neil,

I've managed to surf -a lot- of forums looking for the answer to this, and just for a simple PC, not even a Mac!

I don't know if this'll work for you guys, but it's worked for me on-site at a contract job's PC, and hope it can work for other PC users out there:

1. Download BirdieSync (EasySync, several other open-source options for non-ActiveSync-capable Mac users)

2. Download ActiveSync 4.5 from Microsoft's site (CNET only has 4.2--don't bother)

3.Download the Thunderbird extension "WebMail" =and= ("Google Mail" OR "Yahoo! Mail" OR [whatever web-based email service you're trying to tap into and download to TBird locally])
--3a. I have needed to find and install the "YPops!" app to get through one contract client's firewall. Worked fine.

4. Install all of the above. Run ActiveSync -before- you try to run BirdieSync (however, run EasySync whenever you please).And, Be sure to install "WebMail" extension before you try to install your specific web-service extension.

5. Connect your PIM to your PC (or Mac, in a perfect world where the EasySync/whatever works on Macs) via USB (not sure if it can work by IR or Bluetooth), and open your newly-augmented Thunderbird. It should automatically ask you to configure your BirdieSync (EasySync, whatever yer using) profile and confirm things on your PPC. Do so.

Here's what -should- happen:

-WebMail (or WebMail through YPops!) allows TBird to speak the generic language of web mail servers.

-The specific extension you added for -your- particular service speaks the language, and knows their secret handshake, so it lets it take your email. (I always check "leave email on server/until I delete it" in TBird. Saves space.)

-Once on TBird, the Birdie/EasySync you've installed allows you to get all of that data--emails, calendar info, comma-separated files like address books, etc.--over to your PIM!

If it all works right...light a small incense cone, because this is a pain in the ass both Jobs and Gates should have had ironed out years ago.

Hope it helps,

Matt

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