Someone reviewed v on Jul 5, 2022

Pros: 555

Cons: 555

Bottom Line: 555

CalmoPyrin reviewed v9.1.12 on Apr 13, 2020

Pros: A TheBat! the only program I’m willing to pay for 25 years. What your critics throw in your eyes is its simplicity, POINT THE BENEFIT!

Cons: The ability to upgrade from previous versions is very narrow

Bottom Line: I got used to it like an old wife. I couldn't live without it.

wholeleaf reviewed v8.2.8 on Feb 21, 2018

Pros: Many useful features

Cons: None

Bottom Line: @rumere, Not so.

ruemere reviewed v8.0.18 on Jan 3, 2018

Pros: It's the same The Bat you've known for years. Changes and new features are negligible at best, but hey, you do not need to learn anything.

Cons: Expensive.
Does not support standards (HTML, RTF, inline attachments - basically things that are supported nowadays even by online clients, like Outlook 365 and GMAIL).
Crappy antispam.
Thunderbird has more user friendly interface than this.
No decent spellchecker.

Bottom Line: Stay away. It's a piece of history that is fit for a museum.
Recommendable only if you want to spam people with plain text emails.

The devs (and the sockpuppets below) should check Outlook.com and GMAIL.com to find out how modern apps look like and work.

partypop reviewed v7.4.10 on Feb 22, 2017

For years I have been using Outlook Express on Windows XP. Newer versions of Windows have Windows Live Mail (junk). Thunderbird sucks, so I decided to try something different. All I have to say is wow, I never thought I'd actually pay for an email program. But very glad I did. This product is AMAZING. The functionality of this software is amazing, Scheduled emails (sent anytime I want) a feature I wanted so long, I have it now. On the fly encryption for the email? Wow. This prodcut is not 5 stars, its 10 stars.

Kaden reviewed v7.4.10 on Feb 17, 2017

For many many years I was holding on to using Qualcomm Eudora Pro 7.1.0.9. I finally found myself having to move on with over a decade of older emails to somehow import into a new client. I experimented with many options including Mozilla Thunderbird and Pegasus Mail. Neither fit the bill and only an ancient version of Thunderbird was even capable of importing Eudora 7.x databases. I remembered The Bat! but I had never used it before but it allowed Eudora email importation. Voila, it worked. I still prefer the layout and functionality of Eudora Pro 7.x but The Bat! covers most of my needs. There are a few sticking points where I feel that some things take too long whereas Eudora was faster (ie syncing mail, performing searches, compacting, etc). Again, it needs to be noted that I have a LOT of old and new emails from multiple active accounts. I likely wouldn't have problems if I was dealing with a lesser quantity of email. The Bat! is well worth the price, gets the job done, and is actively maintained. I definitely recommend giving it a shot.

NOTE: 7.4.10 was released on February 15. Version 7.4.12 was released on February 16.

partypop reviewed v7.4 on Dec 13, 2016

For years I have been using Outlook Express on Windows XP. Newer versions of Windows have Windows Live Mail (junk). Thunderbird sucks, so I decided to try something different. All I have to say is wow, I never thought I'd actually pay for an email program. But very glad I did. This product is AMAZING. The functionality of this software is amazing, Scheduled emails (sent anytime I want) a feature I wanted so long, I have it now. On the fly encryption for the email? Wow. This prodcut is not 5 stars, its 10 stars.

stephenstud reviewed v5.2 on Aug 27, 2012

Great piece of software! LOVE IT:)

TuxmanXP reviewed v5.2 on Aug 27, 2012

It is hard to find a better e-mail client out there.

Images in e-mails? LOL. Whatever anyone would need that for. HTML mails?
No, The Bat! is not made for newbies. Luckily.

mentallo666 reviewed v5.0.30 on Jan 3, 2012

Does it display images in emails yet?

Newrone reviewed v5.0.8 on May 23, 2011

I'm astonished that some people actually pay for this! It looks like the e-mail equivalent of the mechanical typewriter.

krgood reviewed v5.0.0.151 Beta on Apr 6, 2011

The Bat has a lot of options, choices and handles HTML (the primary method desired) in a weird way. It is justified by the authors as security but IMHO is awkward. This should be an option selection by the user, not forced by the developer. Not all of us visit sites where HTML is full of threats, I have Virus software that protects my email and lets me make a decision on what I want to receive, If it were not for the awkward use of HTML, this might be a good choice, I have checked each release hoping that HTML handling will join the realm of practicality but it never does and guess it never will, I am sure there are those who will disagree with me and is their right to do so but this program is just not for the user who is looking for an easy to use mailer, If you like having to "fiddle" with each email just to read it, then this program is for you! There are many good email clients out there that do as good or better than this and most are free, Try it and you be the judge,

shroom reviewed v5.0.0.151 Beta on Mar 29, 2011

HUGE piece of GOODNESS

ckliebert reviewed v5.0.0.136 Beta on Feb 4, 2011

HUGE piece of CRAP, chap.

FixXxeR reviewed v5.0.0.136 Beta on Feb 3, 2011

I've used every version of The Bat! since V3, or at least attempted to for a week with each version, but I cannot stick with it. It is just far too awkward to use. The GUI feels very tacky and the filters leave a lot to be desired. The support of the application is also another area which is lacking, horribly. It does work, so I will give it a 2, but I would recommend you look elsewhere before using TB!

CapZap reviewed v5.0.0.126 Beta on Jan 5, 2011

Why review a great app and just criticize the price? You don't want to pay for it, stay away. I pay for it because it's much more secure than the freebies. More features, better software. Troll elsewhere.

tickleonthetum reviewed v5.0.0.122 Beta on Dec 23, 2010

Why bother with paying for this when there are better free alternatives!!

stephenstud reviewed v5.0.0.99 Alpha on Nov 11, 2010

I have been on board since #1, and none other can take its place. This is an Alpha, not a beta, so please think of that when you test it:)

Terijan reviewed v4.2.33 on Apr 14, 2010

very decent e-mail client, never had problems with it :)

CapZap reviewed v4.2.35.0 Beta on Feb 16, 2010

I've used TheBat! since March of 1999 years and it's my most relied upon software. Ritlabs keeps it updated so it never has problems. If you want a program you can count on for the next couple of decades, this is it. I've tried and retried Eudora, Outlook, Pocomail, Opera, Becky! and Pegasusmail over the years, none of which compare TheBat! It's well worth the price of admission -- and, by the way, I didn't have to renew with this last update. I've probably had to pay 3 times over 11 years which is entirely reasonable.

CapZap reviewed v4.1.11.6 Beta on Feb 26, 2009

Now with v. 4.1, I have to renew for the third time in ten years. Not bad service. And the program has always been tops. I've tried every new email client (and Eudora which predates TheBat!) over those ten years and never found one I've liked as well. High quality, attention to detail, frequent updates, great security -- just a great program I couldn't live without.

mackley reviewed v4.1.7 on Dec 26, 2008

Very nice release this 4.1 !

petrpublic reviewed v4.0.34 on Nov 14, 2008

I am using it fo years and even I have tested other clients, I did not found more powerful one then Bat!
There are some things I am waiting for, like HTML templates, proxy support and calendar system, as I saw in one forum, HTML templates and proxy support will be announced this year, so I only wait for calendar.

guti reviewed v4.0.28 on Aug 17, 2008

After genius version 2, and skipping the outdated 3 releases, seems that with the 4 bracnh, we have the best email client available again.

skynetman reviewed v4.0.28 on Aug 16, 2008

My favourite and default mail reader since 1997....
I manage more than 30 mail account with it and i love it.

RastaWorld reviewed v4.0.22 on Apr 24, 2008

I used it for more than a year, and I am surprised I used it that long. Lots of bugs in the application. Just check their forums. Plus the developers and moderators are rude when posting bug finds or asking for help.

Honestly, the bat sucks, and if your looking for a good client you can always try PocoMail.

savernake reviewed v4.0.22 on Apr 23, 2008

It's not my favourite email client but it does some things very well. I think its average rating on Betanews is a bit low. On the other hand, the tacky design, awful copy-writing and weird mutant English on the website don't exactly help its cause.

maraskus reviewed v4.0.14.8 Beta on Feb 28, 2008

The Bat! is the better email client, the most popular client and the most complete client ever.
¿ Is It in beta permanently ? yes, of course but, you miss any mail ? I no, and ich new version are equal or major changes than the previous.
Thunderbird ? yes , fine.
PocoMail ? maybe, very fine.
But, for profesional work, The Bat! is very very match five of five.

PS: if the suppor are not good don´t worry, the errores will corrected in the prox. version.

guti reviewed v4.0.14.8 Beta on Feb 28, 2008

Getting better and better.
BTW 4.0.14.9 is already out:
http://www.ritlabs.com/d...he_bat/beta/tb40149.rar

finalcut reviewed v4.0.9 on Feb 11, 2008

Now that thebat support image downloading with a whitelist (Something that I've been waiting for 5 years now), it's a 5/5 !!!

to the poster before me, try look at http://www.silverstones.com/thebat/tbudlinfo2.html and subscribe to email list(s)

good luck

anonswgeek reviewed v4.0.9 on Feb 10, 2008

i use poptray too in combination with ypops. to check mail in yahoo mail accounts. been an outlook express user for many years. whats the best way to learn about more powerfull email clients? are there forums or help sites out there? plz post

periklo reviewed v4.0.9 on Feb 10, 2008

This is the most powerful e-mail client that I know of. It has its problems though, and it will be interesting to see version 4.1 and what that Russian design bureau came up with.

Edit:
http://www.artgorbunov.ru/portfolio/thebat/gallery/

Not really sure what to think about it. :))

guti reviewed v4.0.9 on Feb 9, 2008

Was nice in version 2, 3 was regular, and 4 is excellent again.

Hope Rit Labs team have found the right path now.

BTW, PopTray has at least 25% of features in The Bat!.

maraskus reviewed v4.0.9 on Feb 8, 2008

Version 4 of " The Bat! ", though it has many versions thread, bad attention on the part of whom it does the program, certain complexity and one I stop of naif in the skins that it has formed, it does not fit doubts after many years of criticizing it and of revile his " public betas " that a client who is downloaded more than 100.000 times, which it takes clients of Antivirus as Kaspersky that have plugins for it, which is testeado as the best in many sites for experts, that it imports and exports mail that is a benediction, we go, though one does not like it - I speak about FileForum - IT MUST PUT HIS FOUR POINTS AT LEAST

monzi reviewed v4.0.0.22 on Feb 8, 2008

I've always hated this program. And nothing has changed i can see. Get PopTray instead, its 100 times better, its free, and fast. I've been using it for so many years and still cant find anything better: http://www.poptray.org/

2ears reviewed v4.0.0.22 on Feb 8, 2008

Just evaluated the 4.0 a minute ago.

The new Address History tab is amazing ; very interesting in a business context.

The "improved convenient interface" is just bull s**t. I which way do gradients improve a visual interface ? I wonder.

The two most striking lacking features are :
- HTML templates.
- received e-mail edition/annotation (the current annotation system is completly out of touch with a business need). I can't understand the logic behind the fact that no e-mail client currently on the market allows for modification of received e-mail. It is a killing features that would stand The Bat above the others.

Shall we have to wait until 2015 to see that ? At the current pace of development, maybe.

So what ?
I love it and I hate it. And i will keep monitoring the mrket to jump away from the Bat as soon as possible, as I have done for the last three years.

Ritlabs should better work a bit faster than they used to if they want to remain on the edge. And communicate a bit more on what is to come tokeep us waiting. The gapse is rapidly turning to their dis-advantage I am afraid.

g0dlike reviewed v4.0.0.16 Alpha on Jan 31, 2008

This release is very dissapointing IMO.
Version 4.0 was announced back in october 2007 (the word was that it'll be available soon .. aha!), tomorrow we're February 1st and the application is still in Alpha state.
Besides, the current interface is junk, worse than v3.
No HTML templates. No visible improvements.
No automatic HTML signatures.
I cannot insert ?î?? characters in body (as with v3.x also), even if I select Unicode.

Pure junk.
3 stars because even so, The Bat is excellent in many ways.

PS: Sorry for my english, I'm not a native speaker.

tom_gole reviewed v4.0.0.16 Alpha on Jan 30, 2008

eaves, what arrogance You are talking about? Can You be more specific?

eaves reviewed v4.0.0.15 Alpha on Jan 29, 2008

email program is OK. The arrogance of the developers is too much.

brusco reviewed v4.0.0.15 Alpha on Jan 29, 2008

Best e-mail program in existance. 5/5

PeteUram reviewed v4.0.0.13 on Jan 24, 2008

2ears: there are many additional *major* changes which will be introduced in 4.0 than were announced in november, this is reason it was not released yet.

What will be included for sure (is tested in alpha now):
-new unicode plaintext editor and viewer
-decoding Microsoft's MS-TNEF format
-downloading images to HTML
-new images viewer
-new feature for monitoring history of communication
-completely reworked tabs and folder pane
-new searching in viewer

2ears reviewed v4.0.0.13 on Jan 23, 2008

I am an half-happy user of The Bat since version 2.0.
Why only half happy ?
I am rather happy with the product.
But the communication of Ritlabs is zero, and their developpment speed is close to a snail.

On 2007-10-02 they annouce The Bat 4.0 (no preview, no screenshot, just a flat annoucement).
On 2007-11-07 (one full month later), they announce the license policy forThe Bat 4.0.
On 2008-01-23 (more than 2 month later) there are still no official news about The bat 4.0 neither release date (could be tomorrow, or more probably, June 2013).

guti reviewed v4.0.0.6 Alpha on Jan 4, 2008

RastaWorld, it seems that you have not really tried 4.0.0.6. 4 series, trully support HTML messages.

RastaWorld reviewed v4.0.0.6 Alpha on Jan 3, 2008

Try PocoMail. I was a bat user for a long time, but their support sucks and does not support html messages from within the program.

Diam0nd reviewed v4.0.0.6 Alpha on Jan 1, 2008

Hmmm... Nice.

PeteUram reviewed v4.0.0.4 Alpha on Jan 1, 2008

Wow, these 4.0 alphas seems very nice, new image viewer, downloading images, new configurable folder tabs, new tracking of messages history and as I saw in forum, there will be new unicode text editor with improved spellchecking included yet. I am really surprised and waiting for final.

finalcut reviewed v4.0.0.4 Alpha on Dec 30, 2007

Now 5/5 with the html image downloading support from a whitelist list. A feature I've been asking for 4 years

guti reviewed v4.0.0.4 Alpha on Dec 29, 2007

The HTML viewer is a magnific improvement over 3.x series.

I only miss updated TBX Lib components to support Office 2007 color scheme themes (http://mxs.bergsoft.net).

darkuni reviewed v4.0.0.4 Alpha on Dec 28, 2007

Once again, The Bat team comes through - this time answering the losers who believe that a program has to LOOK fantastic be BE fantastic. Finally, the visual whiners can shut the hell up and enjoy this AMAZING email client. Worth every penny.

CapZap reviewed v4.0.0.4 Alpha on Dec 28, 2007

I've used TheBat! since March of 1999 and only picked it because it was very highly rated by reviewers -- back then, software reviews were more common. I've used it ever since though I've tried about every other email client out there. There's nothing better IMHO. If you want to send email with animated cartoons and colored backgrounds, maybe you should pick something like Outlook. If you just want to send and receive serious email, this is a great program. The address book and email are easy to back up and restore and the program works well -- in fact I just looked back at the email from RitLabs when I first purchased the program.

TheBat! was "grown up" back in 1999 and has only gotten more reliable and better. Over the years people have criticized this program here in these forums but my guess is they haven't spent enough time with it to learn how it works.

zeon reviewed v4.0.0.3 Alpha on Dec 26, 2007

Thunderbird might be an "alternative" if you only use 0.01% of the features The Bat! has, and I'm sure for a lot of people this is the case. But at the same time, going from The Bat! to Thunderbird is basically going from one of the most powerful and feature-filled email clients around to one of the most bare-bones and featureless. Whether or not that's acceptable to you is a matter of personal opinion, but as email clients they are really worlds apart.

krgood reviewed v4.0.0.3 Alpha on Dec 26, 2007

Well, I am now eating crow! It has a horrible taste.
I purchased and used "The Bat" some time ago and could not get it to work very well, HTML would not display and I was having no luck with tech support. So, I shelved it as another bad decision. Just to be sure it was the same dud I had used before, I downloaded the latest "Alpha", and updated my install.

I must say, I was impressed with the changes and the operation. Everything worked very well, including HTML. So, I must now offer my humble appologies for posting negative comments about the client. It appears to be all grown up now and has some really nice features that were not there before.

Go Bat!

Diam0nd reviewed v4.0.0.3 Alpha on Dec 26, 2007

Apparently they bought Microsoft's ribbon interface. I wonder what good does it do? Good lord...

guti reviewed v3.99.24 on Aug 31, 2007

Never heard of ZeeBat.
TheBat! althought it is quite expensive, is great.

Diam0nd reviewed v3.99.24 on Aug 30, 2007

I think Outlook 2007 (as well as previous versions) is a very capable mailer and is one of the best on the market. BUT ZeeBat is small, light, fast, pretty flexible. Is there any other alternative to TheBat, guys?

hell0 reviewed v3.99.3 on Aug 19, 2007

I thought about buying it when it was 2.x.

But after they added a useless feature like support for smilies, while they had lots of cosmetic bugs to fix, I finally got it. I understood that the development of The Bat is going into a wrong direction and decided to replace it, first for Becky Mail, and finally - for free Thunderbird.

I also looked at the stats of the Russian-language group at Yahoo Groups called "thebat" - they have 50 posts per month now, while they had around 300 per month in 2004, when I left that group.

hell0 reviewed v3.99.3 on Aug 19, 2007

I thought about buying it when it was 2.x.

But after they added a useless feature like support for smilies, while they had lots of cosmetic bugs to fix, I finally got it. I understood that the development of The Bat is going into a wrong direction and decided to replace it, first for Becky Mail, and finally - for free Thunderbird.

I also looked at the stats of the Russian-language group at Yahoo Groups called "thebat" - they have 50 posts per month now, while they had around 300 per month in 2004, when I left that group.

krgood reviewed v3.99.3 on Apr 26, 2007

Difficult to use, and setup, Support is terrible, HTML graphics not supported. If you want to have to fiddle with the program every day just to get mail, then this is a good choice. Thunderbird or Pocomail much better choices.

Ragle Gumm reviewed v3.99.1 on Apr 24, 2007

As a long term user of The Bat Pro I finally switched to Thunderbird. After a couple of months I still feel no regret. All these regular updates of The Bat are annoying ... soon there will be version 4, and then users of this proggie have to pay again ... Maybe The Bat is more powerful, but as a normal user I don´t this power. Thunderbird does the job ...

periklo reviewed v3.98.4 on Apr 13, 2007

Compared to The Bat, anything else I try feels like a toy. 3.1? Whatever.

Walt464 reviewed v3.98.4 on Mar 15, 2007

A good mailer, probably the best of a bad lot. Good performer, full-featured (if you need it, it's in the code) but the bad news is that finding the feature you need can be very difficult in that forest and when you find it, it might not work.

V. 3.98.1 does not work correctly with the Windows 98 clipboard and even trashes the clipboard for other products if you use it in the Bat. Clickable links don't work if you use Firefox as a browser. The clipboard issue may only be a Win 98 issue; the links are all Windows versions. For Win 98 this is a three star product. There are many lesser bugs.

Now that Pegasus is gone (a moment of silence, please, for what was at least a very nicely conceived mailer) I believe the only real competitor is Thunderbird. The choice between T'bird and The Bat will probably depend on how you use a mailer and I'd recommend trying both.

Rebell reviewed v3.98.1 on Feb 28, 2007

Its the best email client in my opinion !
Can handle unlimited accounts - can import/export from various emailclients, good freeware spamfilter and more...

KingSky reviewed v3.98.1 on Feb 27, 2007

Until images are allowed to download into emails this software is next to useless.. NO, wait, nevermind, its just useless.

brusco reviewed v3.98.1 on Feb 27, 2007

buggy garbage

Diam0nd reviewed v3.98.1 on Feb 27, 2007

Too expensive. Abosolutely nothing major hasnt been introduced for ages really. An OK client, id say, nothing more.

finalcut reviewed v3.96.15 Beta on Feb 26, 2007

Still a 4/5 note in my book.
We still need a image downloading support by a whitelist addy to make it secure

DIRKES reviewed v3.96.09 Beta on Feb 19, 2007

The "newer" version 3.96.09 Beta create also the known Program protection injury after the setup procedure (thebat.exe create error at offset:00183676 ...). Therefore we can't start and work with it.

Bachalor reviewed v3.96.03 Beta on Feb 7, 2007

3.96.03 Beta: After start it shows immediately a protection injury (KERNEL).
Then it close directly without other mistakes.
It means now, that i can not use this release, i install the previous version - this works fine.

DIRKES reviewed v3.96.03 Beta on Feb 7, 2007

This actually version create "Violation Error" and we can not create a new account under it. It shows then a "runtime error" under a German Windows XP (tested at 2 dif. PCs).

guti reviewed v3.96.01 Beta on Feb 1, 2007

Very good email client. Not as spectacular than Outlook 2007, but quite useful for transporting emails from one computer to another.

If you are looking for a free better antispam filter than the BayesIt! supplied with, try Antispamsniper (http://www.antispamsniper.com). An spanish review of it is here: http://guti.bitacoras.co...ntry=entry070126-223840

petrpublic reviewed v3.95.06 Christmas Edition on Jan 3, 2007

Brusco, I am not using nor Bat nor Thunderbird, but used both and both have 3 stars from me. Maybe Bat has 3,5 because templates and filtering system. It is interesting, if You are talking about somebody gives 5/5 and You always give 1/5 with no reason why You do not like that app. Maybe You have decreased one star because it is shareware? Second star because new release have new features? Third star because they released updated version to final release too early?...

brusco reviewed v3.95.03 on Dec 24, 2006

why does it seem like a version of this junk is released every day? and the only people who award it 5/5 are the makers of the product?

They need to concentrate on QUALITY and not a synchronous schedule. It seems to me like theyr'e trying to attract idiots who prefer pretty screeshots rather than good reviews. get Mozzilla Thunderbird. Its better than the pro version of this garbage.

brusco reviewed v3.95.03 on Dec 24, 2006

why does it seem like a version of this junk is released every day? and the only people who award it 5/5 are the makers of the product?

They need to concentrate on QUALITY and not a synchronous schedule. It seems to me like theyr'e trying to attract idiots who prefer pretty screeshots rather than good reviews. get Mozzilla Thunderbird. Its better than the pro version of this garbage.

tom_gole reviewed v3.95.01 Christmas Edition on Dec 21, 2006

no, I am really not and my rating depends on what are my needs and which program solves them - I have tested many programs and only two programs had features for rating 5, it is The Bat! and Poco, now I am working with The Bat!. What i wrote I got in mailinglists related to Bat.

brusco reviewed v3.86.11 Beta on Dec 19, 2006

@tom_gole below

You are obviously a developer of this software. You guys are always the first to award yourselves a 5 at every new release, and only a developer would know about what you just said.

Can I ask you if you have read all the reviews of this software on this site yet? (Click View All Reviews below the screeshot) And if so when are you going to sort out the real problems rather that just adding more features?

tom_gole reviewed v3.86.09bis on Dec 12, 2006

AFAIK downloading images feature will be introduced soon, big part is already finished, but it seems there will be not introduced in upcoming final, because some things like HTTPS are not yet ready and this needs time for implementing and testing.

dzjepp reviewed v3.86.07 Beta on Nov 27, 2006

The next stable release should have an image downloading option, according to a post I saw on the ritlabs forums.

I like this app, mostly because it handles 10,000+ emails with ease.

KingSky reviewed v3.86.07 Beta on Nov 23, 2006

Agreed. Are we living in the 70s? Come on. Image downloading options are the most request features, and the developers DON'T CARE. Do you really want to spend money on a product where the developers don't give a rats a** about your concerns?

finalcut reviewed v3.86.07 Beta on Nov 23, 2006

4/5
They still need to implement the html image download support from a whitelist.

https://www.ritlabs.com/bt/view.php?id=1780

yes, we've been waiting for 3 years now!!

Bravo

mackley reviewed v3.86.05 Beta on Nov 20, 2006

The 3.86.05 version is ALPHA !!

Ritlabs says: But this ALPHA is not yet well tested, please use it with caution and let us know immediately of any problems that may ocur.

Use this version careful !

Use instead 3.86.06 that's a beta !

paulvn reviewed v3.85.03 on Nov 16, 2006

If you are looking for entertainment you are at the wrong place. However, if you are looking for fast, secure and versatile email management you can put The Bat! at the top of your short list. There have been IMAP challenges that are fixed and as a POP client it has no peer. I have been testing email clients since 1998 and always return to The Bat! after a week or less. It is not perfect (what is?) but it is the best of its breed where there are few comparative players.

fedra reviewed v3.85.03 on Nov 1, 2006

The program is fast and good.

Do not look at that stupid 'PC Rat'. Hey man, when you will be 10 years old, maybe you will learn to speak at the first person or maybe it is a tradition there in India to speak to third person instead of first.

Use this program because it worth.

koloraro reviewed v3.81.17 RC1 on Sep 1, 2006

Right !

Every 88.000 plus people downloaded it just to try and make bad/good reviews...

Funny.

shroom reviewed v3.81.17 RC1 on Aug 31, 2006

Hard to review without downloading ? Funny... Easy to look at the screenshot and "review" as many here seemed to do...
I've used this software for many years now and never had a single problem.
The interface suits me well too (if I don't use OE, I won't user an OE clone).
The anti-spam plugin provided works also fine.
If there are so many downloads, that's maybe because many like this software.

hook_ reviewed v3.81.17 RC1 on Aug 31, 2006

Primitive and clunky? The Bat is primitive and clunky? That sounded more like Outlook Express or Mozilla Thunderbird.

After using this email client for several years, i have discovered that there's no other email client like The Bat. Other clients either lacks on features or can't handle 20 000+ messages very well.

So, dear rodent, who likes to speak in third person, tell us what better email client is out there?

PC Rat reviewed v3.81.15 Beta on Aug 21, 2006

...

"Always the more
criticized but also
the more downloaded"

...

It's people who've downloaded it that criticize it !

The PC Rat downloaded it ...then ~uninstalled~ it
once he saw how primitive and clunky it is.

The Bat could be a good e-mail client if it was
still 1996.

..

The Computer Rodent

...

darkxiii_ndp reviewed v3.81.15 Beta on Aug 21, 2006

This program:
- Too many bugs.
- Not support unicode.

koloraro reviewed v3.81.13 Beta on Aug 4, 2006

Always the more criticized but also the more downloaded...

What a contradiction !

Arron25 reviewed v3.81.12 Beta on Jul 29, 2006

This is a good program ..I use V2 ...Did not see the need to upgrade to V3 as it had no features I needed (STILL NO HTML) BUT until I tried MS Vista..only to discover there is no support for Vista and The Bat crashes Immediately I install it ...and am STILL waiting for ANY response from RIT Labs support

Mystenes reviewed v3.81.11 Beta on Jul 25, 2006

as for me it was a great program, but it's overloaded with useless functions.

it's a good example of what You get when You will try to get too many functions at once -> too many bugs!

highly unstable, it quits when servers are down!

Earwicker reviewed v3.81.10 Beta on Jul 17, 2006

It's passable I suppose, but what's the point when Thunderbird is free??

tom_gole reviewed v3.81.06 Beta on Jul 11, 2006

PC Rat, "You" are primitive, not program, my mother uses it without problems and many friends too, which program You are compare with? OE? Which program is such powerful and unprimitive? TBird? Haha

PC Rat reviewed v3.81.06 Beta on Jul 8, 2006

...

The primitive and hard to use interface
ruins any features it might have.

...

The Computer Rodent

...

Ragle Gumm reviewed v3.81.06 Beta on Jul 7, 2006

I tried many e-mail programs but always came back to The Bat! The pricing and upgrade policy wasn´t that great in the past but it seems to have changed. The helpdesk is very supportive. For the average Joe Thunderbird might be enough but if you are a poweruser then this is the right one for you ...

yagood reviewed v3.80.06 on Jun 30, 2006

It is completetly shocking that such feature-packed program can be so spoiled by authors that it has 2.0/5.0 at FileForum. Of course I agree - it's buggy, authors are not that great programmers, but it might have been a superb application...

yagood reviewed v3.81.05 Beta on Jun 29, 2006

I'm using The Bat! for about 6-7 years now probably, it's OK, has great features and all... but it has so many small irritating bugs that I just can't stand it anymore. Unfortunately, there is no other e-mail client for Windows that could be anywhere near The Bat! in terms of features... so I'm kind of stuck with it :/

finalcut reviewed v3.80 RC1 on Apr 27, 2006

still by far the best email software ever made!

I still put a 4/5 because they do not support image downloading for html emails. Including the whitelist and other security features, that would make it perfect!
https://www.ritlabs.com/bt/view.php?id=1780

SpiritHex reviewed v3.72.11 Beta on Apr 26, 2006

Advanced email software with many great features, you can customize practically everything visual option as well. It's very fast, and uses less memory than Eudora.

The interface layout is also superior than the one offered by Eudora or Pegasus Mail imo, looks more attractive overall, it's as good as Outlook or better. It's lacking a proper HTML viewer at this time and full PGP 9.x support (version 3.7.x). It has hardcoded OpenPGP support.. one of the more powerful email client, for power users!

jonathanbrickman0000 reviewed v3.71.03 on Apr 2, 2006

I used and recommended The Bat! consistently until the end of the 2.x series. There was a large and popular international community using The Bat! at this time. For some reason, at the end of the 2.x series, a large number of identical feature requests began to be not only ignored, but deleted from forums; and although badly needed features were not added, expensive upgrades were requested. So, I do not use or recommend The Bat! anymore; primarily I use Mozilla Thunderbird. The Bat! doesn't deserve less than a 2 of 5 rating, though; it is definitely useful.

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v3.72.01 on Mar 13, 2006

Ok, software works. But the support and the behavior if you contact the RITLABS people is "down". They don't answer, if you have questions (wrote 4 E-mails !!!).

meks reviewed v3.71.03 on Feb 25, 2006

i have to totally agree with ihdal.
i'm using the bat since 8 years and i have to say that i didnt found another program which beats the bat in ANY way.

lhdal reviewed v3.71.03 on Feb 25, 2006

This is totally the best e-mail client.

It has all basic features that an e-mail client should have. And they are proper.

Also it has many features that no other client has.

I've tried most of the mainstream and some alternative mail clients and can say that The Bat beats the rest if you need an overall good application.

People are bashing because they use some stuff and the application miss one or two of them.
If a The Bat user starts to bash, there will be many.

GOD00007 reviewed v3.71.01 on Feb 22, 2006

-Makes your system sluggish!
-Bad support!
-Too Expensive

TB is just a bloated piece of software. Don't even think of requesting features for this program !. They ignore you totally!. They might even remove your feature requests from their forum by some moronic admins.Very bad support I would call.

Get Thunderbird and live happily !

leybniz reviewed v3.70.07 Beta on Feb 3, 2006

"Beta beta" in the title sounds good :)

Too much useless functionality, I don't want to pay for almost 80% of existing buggy enough functionality that I'll never use thought.

neverending beta, neverending menus, neverending bugs, clumsy GUI overloaded with dozens of useless controls makes you hard to find anything there.

theprawn reviewed v3.70.06 Beta on Feb 1, 2006

I rate this program high because there is nothing out there that can even touch the power and configuration options in The Bat!. From advanced, macro/regex powered total-control templates to unlimited keyboard/menu/toolbar customization to submission forms, scheduled sending and multiple-location synchronization: The Bat can do virtually everything.

This kind of power does come with its price, however, and many casual users will find this is -not- the program for them. Not everyone needs so many features and options, but for power users who want total control of their e-mail from start to finish there's no better choice.

While the documentation is without a doubt lacking, The Bat! is supported by a highly-knowledgeable discussion list -- which can be key in getting a handle on the more advanced features of this program.

Bottom line: If you want options/control, this is it. If you just want something to simply download your e-mail and let you reply, there's no reason for you to purchase this (or any other) commercial mail client -- go with Thunderbird or Outlook Express.

Bachalor reviewed v3.70.06 Beta on Jan 31, 2006

Software works, but
1) To many updates (Author should work more conscientiously)
2) For private ones work still expensively.
3) reduced support, only english
4) Faulted in co-operation with Windows/ABB systems (it hangs a lot !!)

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v3.70.06 Beta on Jan 30, 2006

Same problem still exist; the author Demchenko, Serg show NO reaction of my questions. It means, that you have problems, if you buy "The BAT!" and you have serios problems.
Support is the firs level of customer-service, but here it is low level = low review.

PC Rat reviewed v3.70.06 Beta on Jan 30, 2006

...

Still an archaic and awkward interface on an out of date program.

...

The Computer Rodent

...

paul-white reviewed v3.70.06 Beta on Jan 29, 2006

As I've written before I can no longer give The Bat! a 5* rating as there are just too many problems that don't get fixed. This release may be a beta but as it is aimed at fixing bugs it should be fairly stable. I have over 20 bugs registered in the Ritlabs bug tracker, some will never be fixed while many others are put on hold waiting to be fixed.

I recently transferred all my mail to an IMAP account and then set-up a new installation of The Bat! to manage my local copy of the mail. Sadly, as many others are reporting, the IMAP implementation is buggy as difficult to use. Many folders produce spurious duplicates and an incorrect count of messages in a folder. I'll send and receive from the IMAP account's web interface for now, that's how fed up with this program I've become. As I've yet to find another program that has all the functions and facilities that I need so I won't give up on The Bat! completely but I won't support it or sing its praises either.

It is high time that Ritlabs halt the introduction of all new features and concentrate on fixing bugs, there are hundreds logged and while some may be very minor it is very disheartening to report them, have them offically ackowledged and then to see them left unfixed.

LRN reviewed v3.70.06 Beta on Jan 29, 2006

Switched to Thunderbird.
Now i feel better. Thunderbird is powerful, like Bat, but it has better GUI. And It's free (you don't need to search crack or keygen for every new version).
I suppose, Bat HAS some really unique features - but i didn't use them.

Mumoto reviewed v3.70.06 Beta on Jan 29, 2006

funny that it says "Mozilla Thunderbird" in the mailbox, a program alike but free ;p

maraskus reviewed v3.70.06 Beta on Jan 28, 2006

First of all: it is true, TheBat extracts dozens of versions per year. Also it is true: sometimes it seems in constant condition(state) of "beta". But the truth is that few clients of mail are so downloaded as TheBat, will it be so bad seriously?

CapZap reviewed v3.70.06 Beta on Jan 28, 2006

Still the best and every update an improvement.

ServerMechanic reviewed v3.70.06 Beta on Jan 28, 2006

Wow people still pay to use this heap?

sQin reviewed v3.65.01 Beta on Jan 16, 2006

switched to opera's built-in

guti reviewed v3.65.01 Beta on Jan 15, 2006

3.65.02 beta is out!

http://www.ritlabs.com/d...e_bat/beta/tbb36502.rar

Ragle Gumm reviewed v3.65.01 Beta on Jan 14, 2006

Still the best e-mail client around. Every now and then I look for alternatives and so I tested Eudora, PocoMail, Pegasus and Thunderbird. But The Bat! is still by far the best ... very powerful and, at least on my machine, very very reliable.

Jerry Thorn reviewed v3.64.03 Beta on Jan 6, 2006

I am very happy with Christmas edition, stable and with improved autocomplete and searching speed. I have checked Foxmail and Pocomail, but still stay with The Bat!, they have nicer GUI, but I need serious and reputable mailer, not nice and slow GUI. The Bat! has best filtering system I saw, great templates support and doesn't use IE for rendering HTML, I appreciate this.

DougWeller reviewed v3.64 on Dec 25, 2005

I've used several other emai clients, but I've always returned to TheBat!

Nothing else can handle 200,000 emails so well, search through them so quickly, etc. And it's filtering is great. As for support, you can get all you want from the mailing lists.

UTAKER reviewed v3.63.15 Beta on Dec 20, 2005

My fav. email program 5/5
cons: you have to pay money, maybe a little expensive for some users esp. me whose out of a job :)

finalcut reviewed v3.63.08 Beta on Dec 8, 2005

As usual, I'll put a 5 stars to thebat as soon as they implement the image download from website

https://www.ritlabs.com/bt/view.php?id=1780

darkuni reviewed v3.63.08 Beta on Dec 8, 2005

Every year I evaluate the latest email programs - always looking for the better deal. Despite the shortcomings of the development team as of late, nothing touches this program. People b**** about The Bat being bloated - Pocomail with its fat, bloated interface (I've also noticed it likes to spike the CPU when it checks mail) and lack of certain template features just didn't work out for me. Long live The Bat.

yagood reviewed v3.63.08 Beta on Dec 8, 2005

I use TB! for a few years now, but one day recently I was extremely annoyed by it so I decided to search for a brand new e-mail client for my Windows machine. And of course I have found nothing. Every single "alternative" to TB! on Windows is a joke - I don't want to go into details, but I really tried all of reasonable programs and none of them compares in any way to TB! And I have to stay with TB! - it's feature-rich, has many plugins etc. But it also become so bloatware and it seems that guys on Ritlabs are not that good programmers - almost every week there's new beta with new bugs fixed, but also with new regressions and still when I want to do something more complicated - things just break for no reason. So it's not perfect, but I really can't see any alternative. And seriously - don't talk about Pocomail and others - that's just not this league as TB!

Drich reviewed v3.63.05 Beta on Dec 5, 2005

Much better than previous releases. Has run very stable and am back to using it once again. The power in this program is just amazing. No other email client I have tried has even touched it. Im in macro heaven with this one. Managing attachments are a breeze. Always room for improvement. I still wish better HTML support would improve, and would like to see the option for global inboxes.

guti reviewed v3.63.05 Beta on Nov 29, 2005

Smaller, more features, and quite stable as compared with previous 3.62.14 build.

Good work.

dhry reviewed v3.62.14 on Nov 24, 2005

This was once the absolute BEST email client around, but unfortunately it is falling by the wayside - not only is it becoming total bloatware with too many useless features and not enough useful ones, but it's being crushed by a development team who don't appear to give a toss about QA as each new release comes out, nor the features that users TRULY want. People are simply jumping ship now (to PocoMail, mostly) and when you see the other client you'll know why. Side by side, there's no longer a comparison. TheBat needs to be totally rewritten from the ground up and THOUROUGHLY tested for performance and stability in order to regain some respect as far as I and a LOT of other people are concerned. Do yourself a favour - buy Aid4Mail, convert your Bat stuff over to PocoMail and quit holding your breath. Just be aware that Pocomail 4 FORCES you to use skins - it slows down the whole interface, and that's a big negative far as I'm concerned.

Bachalor reviewed v3.62.14 on Nov 10, 2005

I test it again; generelly did this software her work. But
1.) too expensive for a 'normal' e-mail client
2.) this thing-every week new updates-make a lot of people angry.

GOD00007 reviewed v3.62.12 on Nov 6, 2005

-Poor Support
-Memory Hog
-Expensive!
-No HTML Whitelist(don't even bother requesting )

Get Pocomail 4 and have a nice life!

guti reviewed v3.62.11 Beta on Nov 4, 2005

Great email client, althought a bit expensive.
I only miss three features:
- Webmail support (without third party web2pop programs).
- Automatically convert to JPG/GIF images pasted from the clipboard.
- Exchange support.

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v3.62.10 on Nov 3, 2005

Didn't this expensive banana software mature yet?
I lost really my job, if i work so superficially and not conscientiously like the author of TheBat!

maraskus reviewed v3.62.09 on Nov 1, 2005

Well!!! 3.62 not is the final cut? now "version 3.62.09 ?? and the .10 and the .11 , please , this little program (not application too) is out of your list, it is a joke, your price are joke, all are a joke, sorry.
View Pocomail 4 , GREAT!!!!!!

a6 reviewed v3.62 on Nov 1, 2005

argh. this progam sucks bad. i used v2.x and was very satisfied with it. but i tested this new version to see if it's worth upgrading (thanks god that i didn't buy it!) and about 500 mails got lost - and for the record, not because i was not able to create a working backup... before restoring my backup everything worked fine, but out of the blue (while i clicked on an account with doing just this - click it) an error message said to me: database error - you want to correct it? and of course i wanted. with the result that almost every mail stored with bat v3.x got deleted. now i said to me, ok, let's try the backup. and as i stated above, the restore function restored them, just to delete them again. and best, programmes do not answer any questions. well, for all of this crap, a no-point-option would be useful. program without real support, and a great lack of working functions... no go.

finalcut reviewed v3.62 Final on Oct 31, 2005

still 4/5 for me untill they implement downloading offsite image.

https://www.ritlabs.com/bt/view.php?id=1780

Bachalor reviewed v3.62 Final on Oct 31, 2005

60 $ (55 EURO) for "only" a Email-Agent like this here??
This is very expensive for this function - without support (author not answer for mailings)?
Then I think 20 $ are realisitc for this piece of soft.

Defcon79 reviewed v3.62 Final on Oct 29, 2005

The Bat! is a mail client for power users, period. Despite the half hearted efforts of the developers to iconify and pretty up the UI, at its heart this is a beast that does stuff other mail clients cannot - such as downloading from multiple mailboxes, advanced rules and headers management, virtual folders etc. People who like to trash talk have probably never used these features.

The thing is, most of this stuff is unnecessary for most users, and the Bat! lacks in areas such as proper HTML mail handling, proper IMAP support (to be fair, all clients suck at this), and most importantly, focusing on stability and fixing long standing bugs before implementing new features and charging for minor upgrades.

The kicker is the price - $60 for an email client is a joke! I can only assume the developers know they have little chance of attracting new users to this app and thus want to milk the extremely loyal fan base (most of whom are power users) yet again to maximise their profit. Its sad but true that most of the current users (I used to be one) probably have a lot of customizations and templates invested in their current installs, making it very hard to migrate away from the Bat.

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v3.62.01 Beta on Oct 27, 2005

Hi CapZap: For your person you have right.
But you considered the other users, who hope UNTIL TODAY for support?
80% of they (take time for yourself and read the reviews) wait until today on an answer of RitLabs.
There you can wait still for a long time. Also I rank among it!
Do you really think, that you honor this behavior with positive messages - or a registration?
No sorry, but for this i will not pay regulary money. Excuse this 'hard' answer, but this is fact.

CapZap reviewed v3.62.01 Beta on Oct 26, 2005

I kept seeing you guys pan this program even though I had always been extremely happy with it. I decided maybe I was missing something so I spend several weeks using Becky!, Eudora, and Pocomail. They are all good email clients. I liked Pocomail's address book setup very well. I liked the ease of use of Becky! The only ones which allow clearly delineated mail box folders are Becky! and TheBat! Maybe that's what the ! at the end mean.

Eudora has a limited address book import.

TheBat! does everything right. The templates are easy to set up and WORK for inserting recipient's name in the salutation.

I can't speak to Outlook because I've never used it.

You guys are dead wrong. I test probably a thousand software programs a year and I think I have a bit of a feel for what works and what is well done. TheBat! is the best email client there is. If it's too expensive for you, don't buy it. But don't give it a low rating because you can't afford it.

Somehow, I'm suspecting a regular effort by trolls to desparage this software.

And the learning curve isn't going to be any higher than whatever else you're using. I have no connection to RitLabs or any reason to even review this software except that I'm happy with it and have been for over five years.

DIRKES reviewed v3.62 Beta on Oct 26, 2005

Same procedure.
It create a "access violation", if I want create a new account. I wrote 3 times to the author - now answer.
Sorry, but this behavior does not justify Registration or a purchase.

ghammer reviewed v3.61.13 Beta on Oct 20, 2005

Is there a worse, more expensive email app in the world today? I think not.

blackimp reviewed v3.61.13 Beta on Oct 20, 2005

$60? Why?

DIRKES reviewed v3.61.13 Beta on Oct 20, 2005

I feel me a little bit weak. This software you can call "bananas software", it ripe by the user. Days over days new beta(s). Can the author not better test his work ! If I would work in such a way at my employer, he already lengthwise have quit to me and send me home.
Please more conscientiously work, also at programming.

PC Rat reviewed v3.61.12 Beta on Oct 13, 2005

It's archiac, primitive and confusing interface makes this program useless as well as over-priced !

The Computer Rodent

finalcut reviewed v3.61.10 Beta on Oct 6, 2005

I will always set a 4/5 for thebat
it is by far the best/complete powerful email client ever made. The day they will implement html support (download image from trusted website)
https://www.ritlabs.com/bt/view.php?id=1780
it'll get 5/5 from me

DigitalSin reviewed v3.61.09 Beta on Oct 3, 2005

I have never particularly liked this mail client. I have given it several chances on my hard drive and it always eventually gets removed.

The functionality in TB is great. It is quite powerful. However, the interface is just so plainly ugly and unintuitive. I spend a good portion of my day in my email client and I need it to look refreshing and thought out. TB is not it.

I'm pretty happy with Poco Mail. Although its interface isn't great either, it's a couple of steps up from TB and is very well written.

ibod reviewed v3.61.09 Beta on Oct 2, 2005

the bat is a networking/security/permissions nightmare when switching domains on a server 2003 network.

Zoroaster reviewed v3.61.09 Beta on Oct 1, 2005

Betas are becoming a fashion, starting with Google itself. Alpha, beta, PR, Release (final) is a path somewhat often neglected. Some softwares seem to be crowned with fame, and when you look closer you find out that the gem is elsewhere, more discreet. Poco Mail is indeed of the latter.

maraskus reviewed v3.61.05 Beta on Sep 21, 2005

Stop the Betas!!! stop the "Finals" !!!! it's not serious , it's a joke this program, with some great options and a excellent interface in the past , today it's a garbage and bugs collection.
Sorry , very sorry for the application , it was one of my favorites but now you can wait a month or two for the Pocomail 4 Final, and you'll be sorprised

Drich reviewed v3.61.04 Beta on Sep 14, 2005

Another release of a has been program. At one time it was an excellent choice for me. Since, it has been full of Bugs, or more gently said "Issues". It has failed to progress in my opinion. They better start doing some serious changes or they wont be around long.

Mystenes reviewed v3.61.04 Beta on Sep 14, 2005

very unstable!
many bugs!
and they want money for that!

paul-white reviewed v3.60 Final on Sep 2, 2005

And yet another "final" release with obvious bugs that anyone can find within a few minutes of looking at the new GUI. Some are only minor admittedly but as many keyboard shortcuts are missing from the menus you get the feeling that the programmer was interrupted just before he finished coding. I still see the occasional Access Violation" error, as do many others and the list of bugs at the official Bugtracker continues to grow. Ritlabs really need to start tackling some of these long outstanding bugs before adding any new features. I use this program all the time as I can find no other mail program that does what I want it to as well as The Bat! does but it is the programs limitations and shortcomings that annoy me the most. Example 1: the file "readme.txt" refers to version 3.5. Is the workload so vast that they can't even update that? Example 2: The Folder menu doesn't list one keyboard shortcut. You have to go through the customisation procedure to find out what shortcuts exist for the Folder menu's functions. The Configuration toolbar changes size (with respect to the number of icons) depending on which mail folder is selected. Annoying. Why not grey out the one(s) that are not relevant rather than deleting them and redrawing the toolbar? Many bugs were introduced with the new GUI. Many have yet to be fixed. I no longer give this program a rating of "5". I'll give it "4" for now.

finalcut reviewed v3.60.05 Beta on Aug 28, 2005

the day they will implement this feature
https://www.ritlabs.com/bt/view.php?id=1780

this will be a very complete email client!
I voted, as many others and I hope ritlabs will implement this secured feature

Drich reviewed v3.60.03 Beta on Aug 26, 2005

I have used this for years until recently. Although I do admit that it is one of the most powerfull email clients out there, they still lack some of the features I want. Plagued with constant bugs has been a problem along with no support. After much consideration I gave up use of this program and went back to M2. Havent looked back at it.

yokozuna reviewed v3.60.02 Beta on Aug 25, 2005

Dirk van Hoofen, I agree with you. I wrote a long e-mail to the author of The Bat! It was over a month ago. No answer yet. Maybe the author uses his own product so the e-mail is missing :-)

But seriously, it used to be one of the best e-mail clients. Now it can serve as a negative example. It will be years before I trust this company again, if ever. I don't know who these people are that rate this software high, however, they either have a vested interest or they don't have a clue.

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v3.60.02 Beta on Aug 24, 2005

I wrote again to the author(s) and to the creator of RITLABS, Demchenko Serg.
I reach never a answer or a reaktion from them.
The support (final version) is not absolutely to accept - lowest level.
I can rate only with 1 point - One's own fault of the authors.

paul-white reviewed v3.60.02 Beta on Aug 21, 2005

There are still many long outstanding bugs listed on their bugtracker that have little hope of being fixed. Some are clearly specific to Win95 and Win98 so have little chance of being fixed now. I have recently moved to WinXP and have found that many of my problems have disappeared but why do Ritlabs feel the need to keep on adding new features rather than finish adding previous additions? I think their line of thinking is changing but I dispair when I report a bug, it is acknowledged by the programmers and then left un-fixed for months or in one case years! I used to give this program a rating of "5" but after my experiences over the last few years I can now only give it a "4". Never install the latest version until there have been several maintenance releases or stable betas issued. The beta testers are too wrapped up in their own petty issues to really find and explore problems, the bugtracker is often never referred to except "en-masse" and the development cycle has now become a bit of a joke although I do believe that the programming team do a reasonable job when allowed to by their management. This is still the only e-mail program for me although I did have to buy a new PC and OS to rid myself of Win98 and all the additional problems that an ageing OS gave me when using The Bat!

rpavl reviewed v3.60.02 Beta on Aug 21, 2005

More Bloat.....Less Functionality....dont bother.

PC Rat reviewed v3.60.02 Beta on Aug 20, 2005

This e-mail client is really an anachronism and without much to recommend it. Terrible interface on the type of program (e-mail) where interface is ~everything~. Get Poco Mail, instead !

The Computer Rodent

gkajaia reviewed v3.60.02 Beta on Aug 19, 2005

The Bat was best email client, but now it's bloating with unnecesary things like mail chat etc. and there is no full unicode support, althow developers promised it 3 years ago!!! Even html editor is bad. :( I already switched to thunderbird, sad but true...

tom_gole reviewed v3.60.01 Beta on Aug 19, 2005

I have latest beta and have not problems using it. Yes, there are old issues, like in other apps. But I have used Pocomail and Eudora oin the past and had more problems with them.

BTW I like version 3.5 interface very much, better than in Eudora, Mulberry and other

improvelence reviewed v3.60.01 Beta on Aug 18, 2005

The bat is like those really oversized JNCO jeans from the early-mid 90's...used to be cool but now its just rediculous.

maraskus reviewed v3.60.01 Beta on Aug 17, 2005

the version "3.60" ? nooooo, not a new version, is a buggy arrangement from version 3.50 "final" that no it's "final" never.
Sorry but "The Bat" it's a continuos beta , and if you purchase this program only god know when the "final" version are ready (and if then you can receive for nathing or new purchase this version)
(Sorry my english are too bad, but you understad)

PC Rat reviewed v3.60.01 Beta on Aug 17, 2005

Really rather clumsy and unintuitive interface.
Has a couple arcane features, though, that it's devotees like.

The Computer Rodent

maraskus reviewed v3.51.7 Beta on Jul 22, 2005

Sigo a The Bat desde la versión 1.6, un excelente cliente se lo vea por donde se lo vea (hasta la versión 2 claro está). Finalmente me decidí a comprar Pocomail, que puede tener una interface un poco más lenta, pero es seguro y tiene un maravilloso soporte técnico y foros de discusión.
Es una lástima que saquen de The Bat una versión cada cinco minutos y todas con bugs, no hay período de pre-prueba de los fabricantes.
A mi me daría verguenza , habiendo tantos clientes de correo freeware y shareware buenos , estar sacando tantas versiones con correcciones que generan más bugs... Definitivamente no vale más de 2 de 5 puntos

krgood reviewed v3.51.6 Beta on Jul 21, 2005

I tried TheBat back in 2003 and now I had tired it again in 2005. The program has some nice features and as an email client, it works. Bashing the program will not make it any better. If you like it then fine, if you don't the fine as well but it serves no purpose to bash the program simply on your personal issues. Each email Client does things differently and you have to find one that pleases you. As I said TheBat has some "issues" and also has some "neat" features that make using it fun. It is rather difficlut to configure and understand what the author was thinking with some aspects, but over all, it is a good client.

Just my 2 cents
Goody

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v3.51.6 Beta on Jul 21, 2005

Fact is, that the basic software is ok - but support is "nothing".
We wrote few E-mails to the author, he never contact us back. Behavior .... low rate !

CapZap reviewed v3.51.6 Beta on Jul 20, 2005

TheBat used to be and STILL is the best email client going. The user interface has improved with each release and reliability is 100% with every final release. I've used and read reviews on TheBat for about 7 years and I have never seen complaints like the last few reviewers gave it. Problems in Win98? That is crazy. Win98 was a problem with every application. It took a great deal of work and knowlege to make Win98 work well. Having problems using TheBat with Win98 is not a credible complaint.
TheBat is one of the most highly and continuously developed software products, done by a professional and extremely responsive team of coders. You don't like it -- use Outlook, but be prepared to kiss security goodbye.

jujuthing reviewed v3.51.6 Beta on Jul 20, 2005

This used to be one of the most robust and reliable mail clients out there. It is a great shame that it has sunk so far. Unfortunately I have to agree with the previous reviews: the product as it is now is unreliable, unimaginative and plain uninteresting.

yokozuna reviewed v3.51.5 Beta on Jul 20, 2005

coolticker, I fully agree with you. Sorry to say, but I still remember when The Bat! one of the best (or maybe the best?) email clients in the world. I used it for a long time. I also agree that The Bat! 1.62r was the last worth consideration.
Unfortunately, what I see nowadays is a different story. Thank God, I do not have to use the program, but my friends do it. Most of them have horrible problems, esp. if they do not use Windows XP. The worst thing is that the author of the program refuses to do anything, like in the example described by me below. Moreover, some serious problems have been known for months (maybe the author should consider renaming the e-mail client? The Bug! should be OK). Simply take money and run!

I think that there are much better products today, both free and shareware.

coolticker reviewed v3.51.4 Beta on Jul 17, 2005

I think the "old" 1.62r version was the last good one, after that, verison 2 and 3 was only more RAM usage, bigger, more bugs...

twosheds reviewed v3.51.4 Beta on Jul 17, 2005

Ghastly, hideous-looking and not so hot in functionality. It's a MYSTERY why so many third-party developers take account of it in their software.

yokozuna reviewed v3.51.4 Beta on Jul 16, 2005

Well, three beta versions in one day is an impressive achievement from the author of the program. Pity that the rest is still rather unimpressive.

I tried to figure out how to connect IMAP mail servers. My friend (not a geek) tried to do it and failed in his effort. I found that the implementation of the protocol in The Bat! is designed in such a poor way that I consider it nonexistent.
I wrote the author of the program last week. No answer yet. I will inform the forum about his reaction. I expect his reaction because the program was bought by my friend (and the author claims that the program supports IMAP!!). It was not stolen, cracked, or whatever else. He paid the money, so expect that the author will solve the problem.

ghammer reviewed v3.51.3 Beta on Jul 16, 2005

If I reated the specs it would get a 5.
However, it does not work well at all and in fact trashed messages here.

A pity, but looks to be too ambitious for the developers.

esh3 reviewed v3.51.3 Beta on Jul 16, 2005

What are these guys smokin'? The Bat needs to fly off! Terrible software.

sdaughtry reviewed v3.51.3 Beta on Jul 16, 2005

I used TheBat for several versions.. used it less than one month before Ritlabs released the new version and forced me to pay for the update. New version managed to lose ALL of my emails SEVERAL times when reinstalling the application. Now I am a happy Thunderbird user. I agree that TheBat worked well when it worked; however, it would repeatedly hang while running for awhile (forcing a Task Manager deletion to kill the process) and wiping out several years of email convinced me to look elsewhere. I did like how email replies could be customized based upon email address - that was an extremely handy feature.

Avoid this software at all costs!

krgood reviewed v3.51.3 Beta on Jul 16, 2005

I came, I saw, I bought, I used, I uninstalled.

twosheds reviewed v3.51.3 Beta on Jul 15, 2005

Common-or-garden functionality enclosed in one of the most hideous interfaces ever devised for an e-mail client.

zridling reviewed v3.5.32 Beta on Jun 28, 2005

Thanks for the info, Paul. This is definitely Hall of Shame software. Software should make your life easier, not be continuously troublesome. Funny thing is, when TheBat works, it's fantastic, and does a 1000-times more than Thunderbird.

paul-white reviewed v3.5.32 Beta on Jun 28, 2005

Do not download 3.5.32 (or is that 3.5.0.32 as Ritlabs can't make up their mind on how to designate their software). This version is flawed. Quite a few users, including myself, are reporting that The Bat! will only download one message at a time! Crazy. Do Ritlabs check their beta releases before letting them loose on us? And several Windows 98 specific bugs are still to be fixed. The 'View Source' function does not work properly on Windows 98/ME as some of the text over-writes itself at the line endings making the display utterly useless. It seems Ritlabs have made some changes recently that 2000 and XP can cope with but older versions of Windows cannot. As each version is released the usability on Win95/98/ME decreases. I have now had to revert to version 3.0.2.10 to get something that works as it should despite losing some of the (buggy) newly introduced functionality. Yes, I realise that this is beta software but as this version is so close to a full release serious bugs such as these should not be present. Ritlabs should never have redesigned the GUI as in doing so, many bugs have been introduced as others are fixed. I've been using this program for over five years and have never seen both beta and full versions released with so many problems.

GOD00007 reviewed v3.5.0.31 Beta on Jun 25, 2005

Yes, get thunderbird - IT has everything you will need including the calender extension! .... or go for pocomail for it's excellent support.The program itself is packed with features and very light on resources than the bat!

I'm using thunderbird and i'm soo happy with it.
The bat is just a waste of money and no support makes me cringe!

If you purchase this program, in the end you will regret - You will NOT get the support you wanted, the program keeps crashing like a test dummy and you will have to pay for all it's upgrades!

choaga reviewed v3.5.0.31 Beta on Jun 24, 2005

This used to be some REALLY good software with outstanding support. How come it never comes out of beta? And, their pricing scheme is unreal. I bought it 3 years ago... do I get a break for upgrading? Nope. Looks like these guys are outgrowing themselves. Bye-bye, Bat. Hello, Thunderbird or PocoMail.!

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v3.5.30 on Jun 23, 2005

The software is good. But support .... I detect it one my own body. Wrote alot of emails-German and English support. Until today I received no feedbacks.
Not fine, that they want our money and then they say "bye" to the user(s).
Is that to be favorable the registration behavior?

Bachalor reviewed v3.5.30 Beta on Jun 21, 2005

This 3.5.30 Beta version create a fauld (Protection fauld unter Windows XP) if you work a long time and you switch fast between the The BAT! menues.

DJWesley2K reviewed v3.5.28 Beta on Jun 18, 2005

I think we all should stand together and boycott this company. Their support is awful and they have the nerve to jack up the price and still not fix bugs from the 2.0 version. They still haven't figured out what IMAP is, and how it works. I used to love this email client...

paul-white reviewed v3.5.26 Beta on Jun 10, 2005

And yet another release (3.5.x) that concentrates more on new features than fixing bugs. I found several bugs just minutes after installing this version. Do the beta testers actually test it? Do Ritlabs actually test it? Do Ritlabs react to the feedback from their beta-testers? Sadly too many trivial items are discussed on the beta mailing list the real task of finding and fixing bugs is often forgotten. This results in too many outstanding and indeed longstanding issues that are then overlooked with the introduction of new features. A bug that I reported a year ago has been acknowledged by Ritlabs yet not fixed and this bug craches the program every time! Unbelievable. Use this program with caution. You may have problems, you may not. It used to be the best email program that existed but with so many useless new features it is being more bloated with every release. I have over 25 bugs monitored on their Bug Tracker. Are they being fixed? No. I can no longer give this program a 5 star rating. I use it because I have always used it. I only use the features that are reliable and rarely use a beta version now due to numerous instabilities.

deadmonkey reviewed v3.5.23 Beta on May 31, 2005

KeithWatt: Its a beta so is just the exe no installer, etc. Think of it as a patch for a current install.

TB! is a good client but the company behind it are awful. Version numbers change for no reason which will cost you more money to get just a few minor bugs fixed. There support does not exist. At least not in the times I have tried to contact them, and almost everyone else on the bat mailing list.

If they added things like unicode support like they said they would 3 years ago instead of adding support for skinning it (something which nobody actually wanted on the bat mailing list) i would have stayed with it. lets hope the bat 3 is better, i heard it will be brought out when they fix that truncation on the installer dialog, that warrents a new version ;)

it is kind of weird as the screenshot used by betanews was one i sent them. kinda weird feeling when i see it heh

KeithWatt reviewed v3.5.23 Beta on May 31, 2005

This version did not add itself to the add\remove programs list. There is no Programs menu item for the uninstaller either.

How do you uninstall it?

Also, why is the download a rar file? Not intuitive.

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v3.5.23 Beta on May 31, 2005

Important function from software is the SUPPORT.
And the end-user support is low (what I mean is the dutch and german support).
We call them again with our problem - no answer !!
Do you think really, that the RITLABS autor(s) are good to all customer, if the have this behavior?? - You want really support this ?

Eldar reviewed v3.5.21 Beta on May 29, 2005

finalcut: I can live without it being customisable. That for me is 'bells & whistles'. I'm talking about the real enhancement requests, fixing the bugs.

Like I said TB is NOT the problem, but the support and upgrade policy is.

finalcut reviewed v3.5.21 Beta on May 28, 2005

it's funny to read a review from someone that clearly doesnt know what he is talking about

Eldar saying there is nothing much new in thebat since 2.12. well kid, you obviously havent tried 3.5*
you will notice all the menus are fully customisable

DavidB reviewed v3.5.21 Beta on May 27, 2005

I've been using The Bat! Pro for almost nine months, and have been extremely pleased with it. I can't comment on their support, because I haven't needed it. Having previously been a PocoMail user, the things I appreciate most about The Bat! are its speed, stability, template support and amazing automation/routing features.

zridling reviewed v3.5.0.16 Pre-Final on May 27, 2005

I was sold on PocoMail before I read the extended review of TheBat! at a coding site. What a fantastic feature set!

Eldar reviewed v3.5.0.16 Pre-Final on May 27, 2005

Nothing much has changed since version 2.12, only bells & whistles, so that's why I didn't upgrade.

Support really is a BIG problem, as well as charging for an update which btw was a beta.

When I bought TB, I really experienced how their support works. After two weeks I still didn't get my registration key, so I wrote to them.
I did get a reply requesting proof of my payment by VISA, which I did.
Received another response in which they said they were investigating.
1 week later stil no key. :-(
Wrote several messages asking to send me my key. No response, other then a standard reply.
Wrote another, threathening to file a complaint at VISA and look the next day I received my key. :-)

They never explained to me why I suddenly did receive my key.

The app is NOT the problem, but the support & upgrade policy is. IMHO
Every app has his bugs, problems.

You like TB or you don't. If you don't like this version, stick with the previous one.

I'm not giving it the lowest score, but it surely doesn't deserve the highest.

klumy reviewed v3.5.0.16 Pre-Final on May 26, 2005

the support of The BAT! is really bad :(

finalcut reviewed v3.5.0.16 Pre-Final on May 25, 2005

GOD00007: html email support by downloading images is in wishlist for almost 2 years now
https://www.ritlabs.com/bt/view.php?id=1780

vote if you want the support

thats the only thing I miss from thebat and this is not because we do not ask for security
with a whitelist, I dont think you bypass thebat security at all

some old fanboy with closed mind still dont want that feature to be implemented which is sad imo

I will only buy a license for my wife and I if they implement this feature

uberfly reviewed v3.5.0.16 Pre-Final on May 25, 2005

The Bat! is a very powerful client. Ritlabs has taken heat lately, and deservedly so, for their implementation and upgrade policies, but non-the-less, theirs is an extreemely safe and VERY full featured email app for power users. Its functionality keeps surprising me even years after using it. GOD00007, stop crying. Their SUPPORT forums aren't for Thunderbird drum-beaters and similar. I'd nuke you too if I was a forum admin. Also, what was your client suggestion? Lets hear it. If it's a good idea, maybe more uf us will ask for it and it'll eventually get written in.

GOD00007 reviewed v3.5 on May 19, 2005

I'm forced to give a very low voting for their support and customer care,and forum administration.

I was treated badly in thier forums for comparing thunderbird with the bat.
I stated clearly what thunderbird offers than the bat and the admins removed my post with no regards.Also some days back i requested a demanding feature(HTML support) that hasn't been implemented more than a year...they removed that post as well.

They do not welcome or allow to voice our concerns on the flaws TB has, instead shamefully deleting our comments and hiding it from others.
Some of the most demanding feature requests are still withheld.This shows that TB team do not focus on them, rather on their own point of view.
And unnecessary features being added on every release and they jump to version numbers and charge for it!
A very pathetic sales strategy i would say.

I would highly recommened looking at programs that offer better services to customers and acknowledge our opinions.

Pocomail is one such good program.
It uses less resources than the bat and very powerful,and their forums respond to every problem i had , not like these bat folks who delete posts!!

Now i use thunderbird which i feel that suits me the most, uses less resources and of course FREE!!

So my advice is not to get fooled by paying for these programs and not getting the support you deserve.

GOD00007 reviewed v3.5 on May 19, 2005

I'm forced to give a very low voting for their support and customer care,and forum administration.

I was treated badly in thier forums for comparing thunderbird with the bat.
I stated clearly what thunderbird offers than the bat and the moderators removed my post with no regards.Also some days back i requested a demanding feature that hasn't been implemented more than a year...they removed that post as well.

They do not welcome or allow to voice our concerns on the flaws TB has, instead shamefully deleting our comments and hiding it from others.
Some of the most demanding feature requests are still withheld.This shows that TB team do not focus on them, rather on their own point of view.
And unnecessary features being added on every release and they jump to version numbers and charge for it!
A very pathetic sales strategy i would say.

I would highly recommened looking at programs that offer better services to customers and acknowledge our opinions.

Pocomail is one such good program.
It uses less resources than the bat and very powerful,and their forums responded to every problem i had , not like these bat folks who delete posts!!

Now i use thunderbird which i feel that suits me the most, uses less resources and of course FREE!!

So my advice is not to get fooled by paying for these programs and not getting the support you deserve.

zridling reviewed v3.5 on May 16, 2005

I'm doing GMail these days, and am done paying for email clients, but I might reconsider throwing money at TheBat. One thing I do like is is the new interface. A good review of The Bat can be found here.

KaptK reviewed v3.5 on May 16, 2005

After installing this version my mail folders became mucked up.

Had to go back an older version. Not very impressed.

finalcut reviewed v3.5 on May 15, 2005

the best email client ever made
I with they add a whitelist to allow image download

ibod reviewed v3.5 on May 15, 2005

menu icons are easy to change through r-clicking menu, customize, select container, then choosing menu or toolbar icons in the dropdown.

halfway to v4.0, get your wallets out for september! (again & again & again) until even the dumbest amongst us figure it out.

CapZap reviewed v3.5 on May 14, 2005

Just right! Thanks RitLabs. The last couple betas had small icons and now we're back to normal.

This is the best (most reliable, most transportable, safest) email client on the market.

Metsn reviewed v3.5 on May 14, 2005

I really like this software...because it makes my emails really clean...

Just one note...is there any possibility to make icons bigger (standart toolbar, etc.) as they was in previous version...? Because they're just too small in my resolution...

tom_gole reviewed v3.5 on May 14, 2005

To Metsn: too small? If You have tested previous betaversions, check if You have somewhere batskin.xml file and rename/delete it, then restart The Bat!. Standard size of icons is 32x32, this must be enough, I think :-)

dhry reviewed v3.5 RC9 on May 14, 2005

Okay, this program has started down the road to being bloatware as of the v3.5 series. Too much unnecessary crap is being inserted into what was once a slick and efficient mail client. This ALWAYS happens to great software and it's extremely unfortunate that the authors see reason to do it. Pretty soon TheBat will become just another WinAMP and we'll all need to move on to the Next Best Thing. Programs like this should NOT consist of a 10Mb executable!!

Incidentally, the major bug right now is in printing - you can't change the fonts in Print Setup so the result is that for certain HTML emails, the font is ten times bigger than it should be for the different heading sizes and your printout only fits half your paper as a result.

zik reviewed v3.5 RC9 on May 13, 2005

The Bat is a decent mail program, these Release Candidates, are beta programs, if you want something not beta, wth are you doing in betanews?
Comparing to Thunderbird (the equivalent of firefox but for e-mail), thebat is more mature, has POWERFUL filtering habilities, and quick templates that can do anything with text.
I remember sending them a complaint about an regexp i tried to match, and they answered quickly and clearly.

finalcut reviewed v3.5 RC8 on May 11, 2005

getting better and better but never as stable as 3.2.0.10

Lord_ProtoZz reviewed v3.5 RC8 on May 11, 2005

RC8?!! 8-0 It looks like marasmus!!!
Too many bugs, yeah?

yokozuna reviewed v3.5 RC7 on May 11, 2005

Dirk van Hoofen - support in case of The Bat! is nonexistent. My friend wanted to buy The Bat! but Mr. Tenurkov (or whatever is the name of the creator of TB! - I do not remember) made mistake and generated serial number for misspelled last name (something like Dmith instead of Smith) and IT WAS HIS MISTAKE. She wrote several times to correct it and generated the number for her real name, but the money neither returned nor the mistake corrected. Ritlabs took her money and ran away!

Moreover, I have an impression that there are more bugs in The Bat! than in barns owned by Smithfield Foods.

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v3.5 RC7 on May 11, 2005

Hi Rocky500:
Contrary to TheBAT this software is however free and OPEN-SOURCE !
And do not forget - the support from the Ritlabs author disappointing us very very much!

We recommend that some customers should therefore change to Mozilla Firefox.

rocky500 reviewed v3.5 RC7 on May 11, 2005

Anyone try Mozilla Firefox.
You can get a new daily build every single day!

Bachalor reviewed v3.5 RC7 on May 11, 2005

I have the feeling, which appears too fast the versions; Ritlabs bring it to "fast" out.
It would be better, that they author test it more conscientiously - and give the finally version to the public.

Metshrine reviewed v3.5 RC7 on May 10, 2005

Looks to be a promising client with lots of features, but its IMAP support is below par. Being that all my mail clients are IMAP, this makes The BAT useless for me :-/

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v3.5 RC6 on May 10, 2005

No german support from RITLABS available !
We wrote them a few times ... english,german and russian.
If you contact them, they RITLABS_people don't answer ... bad education ;-)

We had to help ourselves.

You can dl a "inofficial" german-english language file from our private server http://thebat.orgavision.de/zip/lng_1_53.rar .

Please, use this language file ONLY FOR THE VERSION STARTING FROM V3.5 RC5.

DIRKES reviewed v3.5 RC6 on May 10, 2005

Whats new (RC6) ???

[-] [On-The-Fly Encryption] #0004583: eToken problem
[-] [Backup/Restore] #0004582: eToken problem
[-] #0004551: SmartBat: Context menu item "Utilities | Insert current time" returns current date
[-] #0004422: Dialog "Sort Folders And Accounts" have small size and whole is untranslatable
[-] #0004379: Menu items "Cut","Copy","Paste" and "Select all" in Quick Search's context menu
doesn't work

But not really news from the features.
The only change is that it previous RCs didn't utilize eToken or iKey1000.

rocky500 reviewed v3.5 RC6 on May 10, 2005

I am so glad a company releases the updates so quick! Excellent work Ritlabs!
Unlike most other companies (micro$oft comes to mind) where you have to wait ages until they release a service pack with a gazillion fixes.

All those people complaining PLEASE IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT just wait & download every few months, but for the rest of us we say
KEEP THEM COMMING RITLABS!

ezh reviewed v3.5 RC5 on May 8, 2005

Really, every day a new RC is very annoyng. If they have 22 RC's so the quality of the final will be very doubtful.

tom_gole reviewed v3.5 RC4 on May 6, 2005

to techt: what problem do You have with HTML emails?I don't see any problem except dowloading linked images , which are not attached to message. This is what are You talking about? This is why You are giving 1 as rating?

techt reviewed v3.5 RC2 on May 4, 2005

I like to see HTML eMail when i want...

Argghhh why it is not possible!!!

buckshee reviewed v3.5 RC1 on May 1, 2005

I have never come across a program that goes through so many revisions and releases as this one (through Versions, 1,2 & 3) It was like using a constant beta. I lost confidence in it.

tom_gole reviewed v3.5 RC1 on May 1, 2005

to deadmonkey: I really do not understand You, number is only number, as I see this, after 7 months of development, new version have major changes and version number between final versions is changed from 3.01 to 3.5, I don't see any problem in this.

to finalcut: closed mind fans are not developers, we could wait :-)

finalcut reviewed v3.5 RC1 on Apr 30, 2005

dont even think about it
some closed mind fans are doing all possible to not implement image downloading support
and so even with a whitelist to protect

gkajaia reviewed v3.5 RC1 on Apr 29, 2005

I was using The Bat! since version 1. It was very usefull, secure email client, but developers promised full unicode support since version 1.0 and The Bat! is in version 3.5 now but no unicode support, no external iamges support etc. but they work hard on implementing strange and certainly much less usefull features like "mailchat" menu design change (ability to change buttons etc. sorry for poor english :/ ) So sorry Ritlabs but I already changed once very promising email client The Bat! to Thunderbird :( Also I'm waiting maibe some day Ritlabs will implement full unicode support as well as external image download support then I'll return to The Bat! with pleasure.

deadmonkey reviewed v3.5 RC1 on Apr 29, 2005

Looks like RitLabs are up to old tricks again.

A jump from 3.0.9.20 Beta to 3.5 RC1.

The Bat! is a good program however the lack up features promised in The Bat! V1 made me stop using it along with a lot of other users.

I have given it a low rating because of the very poor business behind the product. Something which to me is more important than missing features sadly this product has both!

tom_gole reviewed v3.0.9.20 Beta on Apr 29, 2005

I like my security and I hate any downloading of files linked in messages, but I agree, user should have ability to allow this. As I heard, this will be improved after 3.5 version with white list of senders/hosts etc., so You will be able to enable it :-)

techt reviewed v3.0.9.19 Beta on Apr 26, 2005

I want to be able to decide myself when I would like to see pictures in html mails or just not!

Bachalor reviewed v3.0.9.18 Beta on Apr 24, 2005

I think, he means the ABB-Software Group. OperateIT create a "X-term" function for Process conducting systems and it make possible programming database structures. You have the possibility to access UNIX and LINUX machines from a remote WIN-computer and you can contolll process automatitions.
I miss now a german language surface for this "BAT" version.

tom_gole reviewed v3.0.9.17 Beta on Apr 21, 2005

Where can be OperateIT downloaded? What crash do You have? When both apps are started or when? I have no problem with cooperation with other apps, I don't know about OperateIT.

DIRKES reviewed v3.0.9.17 Beta on Apr 19, 2005

My problem exists further. Problems of co-operation The Bat and OperateIT (ABB).

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v3.0.9.17 Beta on Apr 19, 2005

This version create another problem; If I work intensively a unite time with the computer and open The BAT!, it works ok.
With the next program start the Bat create a "Exeption fauld in TheBAT.EXE" and close automatically.
Then I must RESET the complete PC, so that I can work again.

dzjepp reviewed v3.0.9.17 Beta on Apr 18, 2005

Fixed :>

juanker reviewed v3.0.9.16 on Apr 18, 2005

This latest beta (3.0.9.16) crashes as soon as I launch the .exe. Anyone else has tried it and is having this issue?

Bachalor reviewed v3.0.9.16 on Apr 18, 2005

If you use the combination of ABB-software (OperateIT) and The Bat!, your system crash completly. I wrote this to the support - but until today I do not have feedbacks received. Results: programm ok- support death

DIRKES reviewed v3.0.9.13 Beta on Apr 6, 2005

I use it now again. But I have a little prob. with the support. I want order a student version;
I already inquired few times. Until today I received no feedback or a answer.
The German support is not available.

kid.tekila.pl reviewed v3.0.9.13 Beta on Apr 4, 2005

last stable beta version in my opinion is 3.0.9.8.

Vilen reviewed v3.0.9.13 Beta on Apr 4, 2005

damn, one more beta. a lot of betas is not good. :)

juanker reviewed v3.0.9.12 Beta on Apr 1, 2005

By the way, the download link results in v3.0.9.10 download.

darkuni reviewed v3.0.9.12 Beta on Apr 1, 2005

Every couple of years I take a couple weeks and evaluate all the latest email programs .. actually MAKING them my default email package for a good week (you cannot FAIRLY evaluate an email package by 'running it a couple of times'; it MUST be your default). I've been through them all - every year. I've tried Becky, Pocomail, Eudora, and many others mentioned here.

Eudora is bloated to hell. Becky is clunky and feature deprived. Pocomail is like tying an anchor to your computer. When it pops mail, your CPU pegs.

Understand something. If you are a Joe Q. Public email - you have dozens of email choices available to you. MANY would be a good fit for you.

If you are a POWER EMAILER - someone that uses a lot of filters, runs mailing lists, creates and uses lots of auto responders, requires a lot of scripting power - The Bat is still King of the Road. There is no way to question it.

Now, if you REALLY want to complain about The Bat ... complain about their versioning and pricing. V3 was NOT a version worth paying for AGAIN. V2 was BARELY worth paying for again. I was not pleased with them over that.

If you have bug issues with The Bat, then I'm going to assume you're running a beta. Betas, by DEFINITION are loaded with bugs. If you use the stable release of The Bat, you will find it hella stable.

Again, take it from someone that reviews software professionally; if you need power and productivity - you aren't going to beat The Bat.

finalcut reviewed v3.0.9.12 Beta on Apr 1, 2005

You can say whatever you want but please, _please_ do not compare thebat with pocomail

I know what im taling about, I bought pocomail and that was my worse buy all time

yokozuna reviewed v3.0.9.11 Beta on Apr 1, 2005

I see that some people opened their eyes and stopped to repeat mantras "The Bat is the best! The Bat is the best!" It should be said clearly that in the past The Bat was better than any other e-mail client for Windows. The Bat AD 2005 has SOME features which are great but MOST of them are very unimpressive. I used to work with The Bat! (up to v.1.62r), I changed my e-mail client later, and for some days I had to use The Bat v.3.0 last week (the HDD of my friend's laptop was out of order, and I helped him to restore everything). I do not mention a lot of bugs (my friends suggested that the cliend should change the name from The Bat! to The Bug! and I think he is right). Working with The Bat was rather a frustrating experience. When I was young my teacher always repeated that history teach us nothing. I thing that the authors of The Bat agree with him, because some solutions which were good in 2000 but not anymore are still present in this e-mail client :-/
If you want to try something decent and have some spare money try Pocomail, Barca, or Becky! Internet Mail (the client of my choice, described here: http://email.about.com/c...entreviews/gr/becky.htm also featured @ Betanews). If you want something for free try Thunderbird or Foxmail. If you are lazy - use Gmail ;-) If you are conservative, do not like any changes, do not want or refuse to learn anything, do not accept that "panta rei" - stick with The Bat!

Caratacus reviewed v3.0.9.11 Beta on Mar 31, 2005

I used The Bat! for years. For the last few months I have been using Pocomail's big brother, Barca, which I find has many more features that I actually use than TheBat! Out of curiosity I am trialling the current TheBat! & it's OK, but not as generally useful to me as Barca.

tom_gole reviewed v3.0.9.10 Beta on Mar 28, 2005

TO PC Rat: primitive compared to Pocomail?? Hmm, did You ever worked with it for some days at least? I don't think. I have tested both for weeks with Eudora and Thunderbird and selected TB. Pocomail is good, but not better, I have missed features implemented in TB. Pocomail has very nice interface, but I will not pay for GUI, I need features.

PC Rat reviewed v3.0.9.10 Beta on Mar 26, 2005

Rather primitive and under-developed compared to Poco.

http://www.pocosystems.c...&id=7&Itemid=25

The Computer Rodent

SmackDaddy69 reviewed v3.0.9.6 Alpha on Mar 16, 2005

For those of you using the "Alpha" builds and having problems, if you don't know what an Alpha is (or even a beta), then don't use it and stick with the latest final/stable version. If you knew what an Alpha was, you'd have tried to resolve the issue being experienced where "Windows has encountered an error". It took me all of 30 seconds to make a new shortcut, found that it worked, and compared the old and new shortcuts to determine what was wrong.

If you are having the "Alpha" crash on you but you are using the old shortcut you had, then open the shortcut properties and add this to your "Start in..." block:

"C:\Program Files\The Bat!" (or whatever location you have installed it to)

Now you will see it opens just fine. If you still have problems, then remember, it's an "Alpha" and you should have made a backup of the files you overwrote before overwriting them.

So far, these Alpha builds have definitely improved on an already great email program!

geekboy2000 reviewed v3.0.9.5 Alpha on Mar 12, 2005

Like the previous reviewer, I have yet to get any of the recent alphas to even launch (on WinXP Pro SP2). The message, "Thebat.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close", appears just as the splash screen appears. These are alphas after all though.

CapZap reviewed v3.0.9.4 Alpha on Mar 5, 2005

I like TheBat. I've used it for six years now. Every Beta I've tried worked well. But, the last two alpha releases wouldn't run. This is a first for me with new releases from Ritlabs.

I highly recommend the program but I'm going to avoid alpha releases in favor of beta versions.

plasticpig72 reviewed v3.0.9.4 Alpha on Mar 4, 2005

Like other say - it could look a bit better - but for shear performance, stability and configure-ability there is simply nothing comes within a million miles IMHO.

steve-lainen reviewed v3.0.9.02 Alpha on Mar 1, 2005

Have been using TB since V1.something. And I love it.
And it did not overwrite anything when I installed it over the previous beta.

finalcut reviewed v3.0.9.01 Alpha on Feb 21, 2005

dont install over beta version
it will ****ed all the thing...

hyperion123 reviewed v3.0.2.10 Beta on Dec 22, 2004

Best eMail tool I ever try. just the design of the Programm is not at the actual standard. But in the next version features like skinns will come. Can't waiting for!

ibod reviewed v3.0.2.10 Beta on Dec 2, 2004

I still use TB! but barca/poco have been getting more tempting.
The add-in spam filter 'bayesit' used to work fine for me until it became part of the distribution. Since then, it's been unusable; preventing any email whatsoever from being downloaded on occasiion, plus infrequent errors and lockups. If Ritlabs want to include it in the distro then it's part of the review here.
I really haven't seen any quantum leap in efficiency with v3.0. The new filter UI is eye candy only, v1/2 was perfectly functional.
I gave up a long time ago with getting IMAP to work with TB! That was supposed to be a V2.0 feature.
The message editor is a pain if you want to write paragraphs with the first line indented: The next line will wrap to the same indent.
You can't view an HTML message without going through a 'are you sure?', 'are you really sure?' charade.

tom_gole reviewed v3.0.2.8 Rush Beta on Nov 24, 2004

To:yokozuna - yes, 3.0.2.8 is an early beta. What bugs You are talking about? I am using it with no problems. And if will be problems, I will report them, betaversions are released for betatesting.

finalcut reviewed v3.0.2.8 Rush Beta on Nov 23, 2004

@yokozuna: what email client do you use now then?

yokozuna reviewed v3.0.2.7 Rush Beta on Nov 17, 2004

Sorry to say, but as an ex-user of The Bat! 1.62 I have to write that the newest Bat is one of the worst e-mail clients. It contains so many bugs that sometimes it seems to me that it is an early beta. I tried to use it for a week. The question I asked myself was: "Do you really think that it is the best way to spend your money?". There are much better alternatives. Both freeware and shareware.

ibod reviewed v3.0.2.7 Rush Beta on Nov 11, 2004

perhaps the point is that The Bat! cannot deal with large MIME encoded attachments?
What size do you think it should fail at then?

tom_gole reviewed v3.0.2.5 Rush Beta on Nov 7, 2004

to ibod: 500MB by mail? God save us, do You know about FTP? Can You tell me, which other program did You used for downloading and decoding of 500MB by mailer?

ibod reviewed v3.0.2.5 Rush Beta on Nov 6, 2004

I sent The Bat! a large file (~350Mb) split using mime into ~4Mb chunks. With the encoding overhead, thats about 500Mb message. The Bat should be able to put this back together no problem, I can deal with 40Mb okay.
On a P4 3.2 with 10k rpm drive, after 5 hours and extensive paging file use; The Bat! couldn't decode it.
This program isn't that wonderful and the company quite frankly should be a haliburton subsidy.

ramian reviewed v3.0.2.2 Beta on Oct 29, 2004

I cannot imagine myself using any other app for email. I've tried them all (listed by the guy before me), and in my opinion, the only one which came halfway close was Thunderbird. However, since The Bat is the only email client I know of to fully support multiple POP3 SMTP accounts, I'm more than sold. Most of the kiddies who have gone the way of spouting all kinds of language at The Bat! or Ritlabs are either Mozilla fanboys or just don't know how to appreciate all the functions provided by The Bat! I'd recommend this to anyone and everyone.

tom_gole reviewed v3.0.2.2 Beta on Oct 28, 2004

The best - not free, but powerful and stable. I love templates and macros, I love new icons in V3, new filtering system is great, I didn't saw such many possibilities in other client. I have tested Thunderbird, Eudora, Courier, Mulberry and Pocomail, but TheBat won, its GUI is not such configurable as in Poco, Mulberry has good IMAP, but still has strange GUI for me, Eudora is adware and has no ISO support and TBird is free, but has not features I expect in mailer. TB is a winner for me, I have no problem to pay for apps, which I am using daily.

m0awb reviewed v3.0.2.1 Beta 1 on Oct 22, 2004

Mega email client, brilliant and most certainly not toy software like Firebird or Incredimail.

It has every function you could only get by using all the other email clients put together. Evedn includes a bayesian spam filter that works pefect.

Definately not for hotmail loving kiddies.

Arutha reviewed v3.0.2.1 Beta 1 on Oct 16, 2004

Mozilla Thunderbird is better anyway, and eum ... it's F.R.E.E.

zaga reviewed v3.0.2.1 Beta 1 on Oct 16, 2004

Worst company ever.
**** Ritlabs!

Boolah reviewed v3.0.2.1 Beta 1 on Oct 15, 2004

Worst.. customer.. support.. EVER

Caratacus reviewed v3.0.2.1 Beta 1 on Oct 15, 2004

Calling people fools who do not agree with you will not convince anyone and does not enhance the discussion in any way. There are many issues with TheBat! that include pricing and endless bug "fixes", and there are clients that are equally functional without these problems.

fdv reviewed v3.0.2.1 Beta 1 on Oct 15, 2004

Price *IS* a legitimate factor to review on, but it's secondary to the issue of FIXING BUGS.

RitLabs promised the world. They introduced a (then) new e-mail client, developed it aggressively according to wish requests and bug reports.

Then one day, development stopped at version 1.62, and they went to version 2.0, and charged us all more money (yes, existing users). We were soured by it, but we got over it, because at the time, it was really a great program! Version 2 would have IMAP support, and bugs would be fixed promptly!

At the time, I made excuses to people I'd recommended the software to. It's worth the upgrade price, I promised.

Then... development and bug fixes stopped at version 2.13, the so-called "lucky" beta. Version 2 users were asked to pay AGAIN for Version 3. IMAP support was still broken, bugs were rampant, and 2.14 would not be issued. It was either Version 3 or nothing, and V3 added NO new features. It was ju$t time to collect.

No more excuses for this company. Their business ethics should warn new users off. You love the program NOW, but one day (after justifying the price), out of the blue, instead of issuing bug fixes, they'll issue Version 4 and ask you for more money.

Bottom line: I've been there since day one, folks. It's not worth it. Check out the freeware options, and also Poco and Becky.

nemrtvy reviewed v3.01 on Oct 13, 2004

You guys worked for Ritlabs and didnt get paid or what ?

The Bat is the best email client around by far. Dont listen to this fools, The Bat is great client, really fast and stable, I like easy and clear layout.

PS: For fools: If you dont like price go and try something else and next time please write review which will describe quality of program and functions, not the rubbish around.

deadmonkey reviewed v3.0.1 RC6 on Oct 12, 2004

CapZap: Actually you wont read about an exploit as TB! has pretty much zero support for HTML. Outlook has issues because you can create "advanced" emails using HTML and JavaScript. I am not going to argue about if HTML belongs in emails but the point is TB! would have just as many issues if you had proper HTML/JS support. Some see it as a limitation others as a security feature. It just depends what you need. The main reason Ritlabs are updating so much is because they annoyed 99% of their customers with a 2.1x release being changed to 3.0 so they are desparetly trying to fix all the bugs they promised their customers would be fixed in 2.x but never were! They shot themselves in the foot and are now trying to run a mile. It isn't going to be easy but it is possible. Only time will tell what will happen with TB! I hope they sort out all the problems reported in 1.x and 2.x that are still not fixed. Once they do I will think about purchasing it again.

Tridus reviewed v3.0.1 RC6 on Oct 11, 2004

The pricing scheme here is terrible, less then a year before you have to buy again?

Forget that.

CapZap reviewed v3.0.1 RC6 on Oct 10, 2004

I've used TheBat since March of 1999. I've tried to install and use every beta Rit Labs has released. Unbelievable stability, reliability, useability AND transportability. This client is the standard to which every other email client should aspire.
Yeah, they update frequently. Because they want it right -- they keep up their homework so you'll never read about some vulnerability like you do with Outlook.
Highly recommended.

ibod reviewed v3.0.1 RC6 on Oct 10, 2004

Unless you need the complexity that the filters offer in The Bat! I recommend getting anything else. Ritlabs have ripped off their paying customers by charging them (again) for upgrades when they fail to fix bugs.

Boolah reviewed v3.0.1 RC6 on Oct 10, 2004

Poor upgrade policys.

ogman reviewed v3.0.1 RC6 on Oct 10, 2004

Expensive, bloated, junk!

aashay reviewed v3.0.1 RC5 on Oct 9, 2004

How many more Release Candidates are these guys gonna publish man?? Have you ever seen any software that has had 5 RC's till now?? Funny..it shows how unstable the prog is...

tom_gole reviewed v3.0.1 RC5 on Oct 6, 2004

Hey, stop crying here, if You have not 17,5 EUR for using this software, use its copy from China named Foxmail. I am using Bat for years and if I pay for antivirus which costs 45 EUR each year, I have not problem to pay 17,5 EUR to developer of program, which I am using _every_ day. Yes, I am using this app daily and for me, it is a good investment for me, maybe You are using it less and I don't know, why You have not OE.

Interface of V3 is the best I have saw in mailers this year (Poco looks very good too), new filtering system has giant possibilities and as I heard, The Bat! 3 Pro will have on-the-fly encryption of files implemented until end of this year. For me, still the best mailer.

finalcut reviewed v3.0.1 RC5 on Oct 6, 2004

too bad that I'm legal because I'd c*r*a*c*k the program

Unfortunatly, I've never seen any better and powerful email program

fdv reviewed v3.0.1 RC5 on Oct 6, 2004

RitLabs promised the world. They introduced a (then) new e-mail client, developed it aggressively according to wish requests and bug reports.

Then one day, development stopped at version 1.62, and they went to version 2.0, and charged us all more money (yes, existing users). We were soured by it, but we got over it, because at the time, it was really a great program! Version 2 would have IMAP support, and bugs would be fixed promptly!

At the time, I made excuses to people I'd recommended the software to. It's worth the upgrade price, I promised.

Then... development and bug fixes stopped at version 2.13, the so-called "lucky" beta (I love irony!) Version 2 users were asked to pay AGAIN for Version 3. IMAP support was still broken, bugs were rampant, and 2.14 would not be issued. It was either Version 3 or nothing, and V3 added NO new features. It was ju$t time to collect.

No more excuses for this company. Their business ethics should warn new users off. You'll like the program, but one day (after justifying the price), out of the blue, instead of issuing bug fixes, they'll issue Version 4 and ask you for more money.

Bottom line: I've been there since day one, folks. It's not worth it. Check out the freeware options recommended below, and also Poco and Becky.

christoofar reviewed v3.0.1 RC5 on Oct 6, 2004

two words:
1.Foxmail
2.freeware

ogman reviewed v3.0.1 RC4 on Oct 5, 2004

It's about time people saw this program for the junk it is!

sonero reviewed v3.0.1 RC3 on Oct 5, 2004

I used the Bat for different years..until last week. Now I de-installed it, because I don't like it, to pay again and again for new updates. And that's what ritlabs is doing now twice times (from V1 to V2 and now V2 to V3). I paid the first and the second version, but I will never pay the third. So I changed over to foxmail. Very nice and useful.

kmleow reviewed v3.0.1 RC3 on Oct 4, 2004

This $35 dollar crap.

Thunderbird is free.

Radiant Quartz Heater reviewed v3.0.1 RC3 on Oct 4, 2004

Garbage.

ibod reviewed v3.0.1 RC2 on Oct 1, 2004

The only reason I stick with this is because I can't get the same power filtering in any other email program. Having said that, the new filter interface is not any better and everything I needed filtering to do was in the 1.x series.
Ritlabs are scum for charging for .x release software and failing to keep promises.

klumy reviewed v3.0.1 RC2 on Oct 1, 2004

If anyone of you is getting rid of the Ritlabs policy, you can post your opinion here directly on the Ritlabs forum

https://www.ritlabs.com/bt/view.php?id=3797

finalcut reviewed v3.0.1 RC2 on Oct 1, 2004

I wish there was an addon or plugin to be able to see newsletter html email directly within thebat with image downloading w/o having to open firefox/ie

zridling reviewed v3.0.1 RC2 on Sep 30, 2004

I'm perplexed why anyone finds this app worth using. I've tried it twice and virtually everything about is ill-conceived and poorly implemented. Both FoxMail and Mozilla Thunderbird whomp the Bat in every comparison.

fdv reviewed v3.0.1 RC1 on Sep 30, 2004

"Don't forget where you came from." It's an old saying that refers to someone who has forgotten their humble roots and the people who made them successful. RitLabs made major promises to its 2.x user base. Promises about full IMAP support. Promises of numerous bugfixes. Instead, bug fixes stopped entirely and they appended a new version number, charged a LOT of money, and... watched the complaints roll in! And for good reason! All of you who are so quick to forgive will happily use The Bat! for several of it's 3.x iterations, and then one day... you'll suddenly be asked to pay more money for bug fixes after the decided to call it version 4. Believe me, I was one of those who apologized for the company after they dropped 1.62 becuase it was _so_ good and held _such_ promise. But the day came when 2.13 turned into 3.0 and the only "feature" it offered was a slightly new interface and the same old bugs. Now, they fix the bugs, but want another $25 from me. I'm through defending their product because it's overshadowed by their unethical business practices: hey RitLabs, why don't you deliver on those promised bug fixes (now appearing in 3.01) and at least issue 2.14 before leaving your old customers behind?

klumy reviewed v3.0.0.19 Pranayama Beta on Sep 28, 2004

In fact The Bat! is a very good e-mail client. But the prize for version 3 is too high. It is still in beta stage and wasn't tested properly before it was released.

deadmonkey reviewed v3.0.0.19 Pranayama Beta on Sep 27, 2004

Another day, another beta. I used TB! for several years but I wasn't happy with the way we [the cusomters] were treated regarding v3 so I have moved to Outlook 2003 (free with my PDA). I must say I am happy to see so many bug fixes in TB! In the past 2 weeks they must have fixed over 100 bugs. If they sort out IMAP and work on the older features that need finishing instead of introducing new features I _might_ consider buying v3 and migrating back to TB! however they would really need to pull a rabbit out of their a$$ to pull it off! Good luck to them, TB! is a good client, just Ritlabs are a crappy company, but they are working on it which is a step in the right direction :)

You can see how bad a move Ritlabs made with that SO many of their long time users have quit using TB!. Normally a few people complain and moan however it is normally over and done with in a few days (sometime hours) but almost a month later and people are still complaing about what Ritlabs did! I think this is why Ritlabs are working so damn hard to sort out v3.

It is very weird using Outlook 2003 now because everytime I come to BetaNews and check on TB! I see my screenshot above heh

Chris12923 reviewed v3.0.0.16 Pranayama Beta on Sep 22, 2004

I am still using the bat! 3 trial debating on purchasing. Sounds more from the reviews that the program is fairly good but the way they upgrade is bad. Well I will say this for support they get A+ from me 5 emails and all responses within 12 hours. Program quality still a bit buggy yes. Features great. I guess I will see what happens in the future.

yokozuna reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 17, 2004

@the1gadget & others, have you tried Becky! Internet Mail yet? No? So try it! At least you will not have pay for it so often. I am disappointed by Ritlabs, which DOES NOT play fair.

Maniac8888 reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 16, 2004

If you are using IMAP, stay away. TB's IMAP implementation is rudimentary at best. Several standards and conventions are just not implemented. The use of "Draft" folders for example and it is much slower at IMAP fetch than other IMAP clients.

The good:

1. Robust filtering. Better than anything out there

2. Robust template management and usage. Again, the best out there

The bad:

1. Buggy, buggy, buggy. I have only seen one stable release in the year I have been using the product. Some of the bugs actually delete messages contained in email folders (IMAP - not good).

2. Poor IMAP implementation and functionality

dzjepp reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 16, 2004

Have you looked at version 3? They have made numerous 'fixes' for IMAP support as judging from many of the changelogs I've glanced at during the 3.x development time.

dave31175 reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 16, 2004

I still believe that The Bat! is the best POP3 client, however as an IMAP client, I have run out of patience for it. IMAP was introduced over a year ago with the release of version 2. At first it was so buggy it was (for me) completely unusable. Eventually it became tolerable, but only because I believe it would be improved over time. But as of the last release of V2, IMAP was still barely usable for me. It crashed multiple times daily. Numerous sent emails were not copied to the Sent folder. Filtering and syncing were both quite flaky. I decided I couldn't justify paying again when so little IMAP improvement had been made in a year.

silvercircle reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 16, 2004

Why did you cry ? Because they resolve bug in beta release ?? I use the bat for almost 4 years now : never find a better mail program. The v3 upgrade is a bit rude OK but this is review of software here... Mail ritlabs directly if you have an upgrade price pb ! It seems that old beta testers come here to break down the review....

the1gadget reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 16, 2004

What is the fuss about?
It is the best eMail clients out there.
Yes I have tried others but none are as good.
Yes the nested filters do work and are very powerful.

keithblo reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 16, 2004

Very disappointed with the upgrade requirements.

Still one of the fastest mail clients, but after 4 years I have to go over to the 'dark side', as this program no longer interests me... Thanks for nothing RITLabs.

blackcherry reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 16, 2004

just one look at the changes in this release are enough to make me wanna jump off a bridge.

finalcut reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 15, 2004

this sucks but what else can we use
thunderbird doesnt even delete spam directly from server. their filters simply dont work!

capnqwest reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 15, 2004

Good God! this is just terrible software. I hate to jump on this bandwagon but every release keeps getting worse and worse. I've made a promise to myself to never, ever install another version of the Bat! That's what they need to do, take a Bat! to the damn code. The resulting mess would be better than this.

anti00Zero reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 15, 2004

i think the bat is not so bad ;)

with the next fixes and so on, could the e-mail client a good one.

other clients are eudora, pmail, phoenix or incredimail, also outlook ;)

Defcon79 reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 15, 2004

Wtf is with a new Bat revision coming out every single g**d*** day ?!! And its not like they are tweaking minor things, these are major bugfixes.

And sticking a fancy code name won't impress people.

I've tried Pocomail and Becky in the past but the Bat was better. I'll have to give them another chance now - besides Thunderburd, are there any other powerful email clients?

Boolah reviewed v3.0.0.15 Pranayama Beta on Sep 15, 2004

I dont know what the authors of this software are thinking. Talk about a money grab.

Radiant Quartz Heater reviewed v3.0.0.14 Pranayama Beta on Sep 14, 2004

I think everything that needs to be said about this program has already been said.

blackcherry reviewed v3.0.0.14 Pranayama Beta on Sep 13, 2004

one glance at the list of changes made in this version shhould be enough to make you wanna jump off a bridge.

DJWesley2K reviewed v3.0.0.14 Pranayama Beta on Sep 13, 2004

I just bought a copy of this about three months ago, and now they want me to pay again ... for what? They are still trying to fix the same damn errors with each new build. Much as I use this app, it's time that we all make a change just to let these greedy programmers know that they need to fix this app properly before asking us to pay for something broken.

Where is CokeBoTTle?

dzjepp reviewed v3.0.0.14 Pranayama Beta on Sep 13, 2004

Quite a shame to see the product receive poor reviews now that they introduced the poor pricing schemes... but it's still a solid product, minus one star for new product licensing from me.

finalcut reviewed v3.0.0.14 Pranayama Beta on Sep 13, 2004

how come they fix so many bugs?

RenderPal reviewed v3.0.0.14 Pranayama Beta on Sep 13, 2004

Just plain ridiculous.

geekboy2000 reviewed v3.0.0.11 Pranayama Beta on Sep 11, 2004

Quite a number of fixes seemed to have made it into 3.0.11, and I'll confess that despite my moaning, I am still following the development of The Bat. As to alternatives, IMO, the order of those most suited as a The Bat replacement are:

Thunderbird (their IMAP implementation is second to none)

Becky
PocoMail/Barca
FoxMail

deadmonkey reviewed v3.0.0.11 Pranayama Beta on Sep 11, 2004

finalcut: I have decided to use Outlook 2003 with Nelson Email Organiser which is a very nice addon. I got Outlook 2003 with my PDA but never used it however I thought why not? It isn't as flexible as TB! however at least I know where I stand regarding new versions, etc. Unlike with TB! :(

I also tried PocoMail and Barca (Barca is an Outlook type program from the makes of PocoMail). Becky Mail is nice also.

As I wanted my email on my PDA (something I had to do without with TB!) I just bit the bullet and started using Outlook. It isn't as bad as I remember and its built in SPAM filter is actually very good.

finalcut reviewed v3.0.0.11 Pranayama Beta on Sep 10, 2004

what else will you guys use for email?

@deadmonkey: I bought pocomail but I've should never bought it
there are plenty bugs, double email while downloading. Sometimes, it delete the html email you receive and you have a nice and empty email.
and the VERY bad way pocomail has to reply/forward/bounce a html email is so *puke*

Radiant Quartz Heater reviewed v3.0.0.10 Pranayama Beta on Sep 9, 2004

Ritlabs screwed me big time with the v3 release. I had only purchased a licence for v2.12 2 weeks prior to them changing the v2.13 beta to v3.0. And now they expect users (even the one's that had only very recently bought a licence), to pay for the v3 licence. I contacted them asking if there were plans for a free v2 to v3 upgrade for recent users, but no reply was received, though a user on one of the Bat's mailing lists stated that he did the same, & Ritlabs replied "no", so I had my answer anyway. Absolute junk and if there was a "0" rating, I would have given it.

geekboy2000 reviewed v3.0.0.10 Pranayama Beta on Sep 9, 2004

Won't even launch on WinXP SP2. Reverted to beta 8. I've grabbed all of the betas from here so far, because TB admins don't seem to know how (or can't find the time) to enable my access to the beta download page. It worked seemingly forever, now I get "access denied" although the login/pw is correct. At the moment, beta 11 is out, but I can't grab that due to the login problem (and it's not here on Betanews/FileForum yet.
I still have hopes that TB will get back on track, but a head (or heads) should roll there for a number of reasons. I'd like to see them provide version 4 licensing free to those who went for 3.x, and to publicly admit their stupidity. Not much chance of that happening though.

finalcut reviewed v3.0.0.10 Pranayama Beta on Sep 9, 2004

boo

PJE reviewed v3.0.0.10 Pranayama Beta on Sep 9, 2004

Interesting that they now have a long list of corrections...

Any of these 'Improvements' that are relevant to the last V2 release (which should be most of them as they are basically the same program) should be added to the V2 code base. I'm not bothered about new features over V2 (are there any?), but I am interested in the promised bug fixes that never appeared.

My 2c

PS. All this controvesy could be removed if they gave a **FREE** V2 to V3 update and then kept with V3 for a reasonable length of time (3.50+).

redgrave reviewed v3.0.0.8 Pranayama Beta on Sep 8, 2004

It's impressive how the average rate for The Bat! has fallen with the "new" version 3, from a 4/4.5 to 2.1 in a matter of days. I used the bat! for 8 months, It was the only Email client I felt that was worth of my money, and I won't be renewing my subscription. It's like they needed more cash, so they changed the version 2.13 Beta to version 3. It was the wrong move in my opinion, as they now lost the confidence of their most faithful users. Now I'm back with Thunderbird, it has its flaws, but its free and the imap is quite good.

Caratacus reviewed v3.0.0.8 Pranayama Beta on Sep 7, 2004

I have used TheBat! for years but I agree with other comments that the "improvements" do not amount to a V.3.

Rather than shell out yet again for a new version I am trying out Barca (based on Pocomail) with which I am very impressed - it has many more features than The Bat! They give you a 45 day trial with no nags or cripples. It's not perfect but I haven't had any dramas with it and am thoroughly enjoying using it. It is very configurable. It costs more - $US59.95, but I'm putting the 17.50 EURO saved on TheBat! upgrade towards the cost of the changeover.

deadmonkey reviewed v3.0.0.7 Pranayama Beta on Sep 7, 2004

I am a long time user of TB! however I am not very happy with the way Ritlabs has treated me and others like me. Only 12 months ago did we all pay for V2 of TB! and now they turn 2.13beta into V3!? There are not enough feature to warrent a major version number increase. Perhaps 2.20 would have been a better option than 2.13 but not 3.0. It is still a good mail client however if you already have V2 then don't bother with this upgrade it doesn't add anything to the client that is important enough to pay for (well not for the majority of users I know). Also Ritlabs seem to be changing target user base with V3. It has a very "pretty UI", infact one of the "features" in V3 is the new UI yet it is just starting to look more and more like Outlook Express. Ritlabs needs to remember who TB! was originally designed for, the power email user, and continue to develop a client for them. We do not care for a pretty UI, we would rather you add Unicode support or fix IMAP bugs from back in V1! There are so many bugs still in TB! from V1 that need fixing first. All of these bug fixes were promised in V2 yet are still not fixed in V3! They basically told us one thing to get us to buy V2 and then just forgot everything they said. In my opinion Ritlabs are a very dishonest company. They didn't even tell their official beta testers that 2.13beta was changing to V3. We all found out from BetaNews! Also the difference between Home and Professional versions is that Professional is basically a slightly cut down version of Secure Bat! whereas Home is just The Bat!.

the.unforgiven reviewed v3.0.0.7 Pranayama Beta on Sep 6, 2004

Version 2 of this software is the last i will ever use. I STRONGLY recommend not even bothering with this. They just released a new version (2) And barely any major features or even bug fixes later (Mostly betas =|) they release a NEW ONE and CHARGE FOR IT! Stay very, very far away.

PJE reviewed v3.0 on Sep 2, 2004

Radiant Quartz Heater - I'd try Ritlabs, they should give you a free update (if they have any sense - which may be saying something at the moment).

It's intersting that V1 reached 1.62 over a number of years while V2 reached 2.12 over 9 months before they update.

I would think a free update from V2 and a paid update from V1 would have been the honest thing to do.

However, after my initial anger has subsided I may still remain with TheBat!

Radiant Quartz Heater reviewed v3.0 on Sep 1, 2004

Ritlabs decides after 8 beta's of v2.13 to scrap it & put the version number up to v3.0 (& only have one or two days of v3.0 beta testing to boot), just to make us pay for the program again? No way am I playing that game. I now regret buying a licence for The Bat! (v2.12) only 2 weeks ago. Ritlab, you suck. Big time.

KaptK reviewed v3.0 on Sep 1, 2004

I agree with everything said below.

I've just moved to Becky and I must say while it may not have all the features, it is lightning fast! I couldn't believe how fast it checks my POP3 compared to TheBat's speed.

With this sly update, the authors have shown they can't be trusted. Don't support them.. if you do then you'll regret it.

jkamenetz reviewed v3.0 Beta 1 on Sep 1, 2004

I have to say the The Bat! is excellent.
Their prices may be high and frequent...but that is another story.

finalcut reviewed v3.0 Beta 1 on Aug 31, 2004

enough lameness from thebat for me
I exported all my emails and im not using ThunderBird

period

die thebat

deadmonkey reviewed v3.0 Beta 1 on Aug 31, 2004

I am a long time user of TB! and this has REALLY annoyed me. I will not be upgrading to version 3 as they have not added any new features that warrent a major upgrade.

I am actually angry at this. It took them several years to release version 2 and now just 1 year between version 2 and 3? Now thanks Ritlabs. I think I will move over to Opera's M2 client now.

geekboy2000 reviewed v3.0 Beta 1 on Aug 31, 2004

I agree with the most recent reviewers. The Bat is without a doubt, one of the better mail clients available, *but* promised fixes and functionality either haven't been implemented yet, or are only partially implemented. The version jump from 2.13 beta to 3.0 makes no sense, especially when there doesn't seem to be much new in 3.0 (although I gave it only a brief look). There's still no support for inline/remote graphics in messages, there are outstanding IMAP issues, and quite a long list of other nuisance type bugs. Finally delivering those fixes and promises should occur in 2.x, and at no additional charge. Other things like pulling the support forum, and random "access denied" messages when trying to get to the beta site are all frustrating. While those things are not "the app", IMO, support and the attitude of the programmers is as much "the app" as the program itself. So, for the above reasons, I too give it 1 star.

yokozuna reviewed v3.0 Beta 1 on Aug 31, 2004

I used The Bat! in the past and honestly speaking it did not impressed me much. I am sure it is a pretty good e-mail client, but contrary to many beliefs there are better ones, both paid like Becky! Internet Mail (I paid for it once around 7 years ago and that's all, I have never paid for any upgrade) or for free like Foxmail, Pegasus or Thunderbird.

menes reviewed v3.0 Beta 1 on Aug 31, 2004

I am a registered user of bat since 1998. But the sudden rename of 2.13/beta 9 to 3.0 beta 1 makes me feel cheated. Things that were promised for 2.0 aren't implemented and the authors ask us to pay again for things that we already paid and never got.

1 star just because I can't put 0 stars

techt reviewed v3.0 Beta 1 on Aug 31, 2004

The Bat! 2.x was not ready and now here comes 3.x fine and all Users must Register new.

Shut up!!!

ogman reviewed v2.13 'Lucky' Beta 7 on Aug 22, 2004

beta 7??? no thanks.

deadmonkey reviewed v2.13 'Lucky' Beta 7 on Aug 22, 2004

to ogman: What is wrong with beta7? Just because the company are testing new features they put in the software doesn't mean it deserves a 1 star rating. It annoys me when people do this. Have you even tried The Bat! for more than 5 minutes? Have you tried this beta? Also what do you expect on BETANEWS? It is a place to avertise releases of software both alpha/beta and final versions so people can keep track of software. If you don't like beta software then don't come to BETANEWS!

PDavid reviewed v2.13 'Lucky' Beta 6 on Aug 18, 2004

I totally understand that plain text should be used for mails...the only problem is that other people don't use it. So whatever I do, I'll keep recieving HTML messages, and TheBat handles them in a very interesting way in the reply. It doubles each line, I mean it inserts an empty line after each quoted line. OE was at least compatible with all the emails I got - though it was absolutely not according to HTML/MIME formats... Just like with IE and FireFox. FireFox is perfect, but few websites use MS programs to make the pages, not abeying any rules, so they are just simply incorrecly shown in FireFox.

In addition, I think HTML messages are much more attractive. It just looks nicer to underline a word than to write _a word_.

At least I could put some HTML command in the templates so now it's perfect (the only change I made was setting the "from" and "to" word bold), except for the HTML doubleline handling.

I didnt find a way to switch ">" to "|", though I dont want to...I was thinking of a long vertical line, you know what I mean.

That's the problem...if you're too professional at something, you wont be compatible with the rest of the computer using community. Rules are made to be broken, but there should be an exception for computer format rules, dont you think? :)

deadmonkey reviewed v2.13 'Lucky' Beta 6 on Aug 18, 2004

PDavid The Bat! has very limited HTML support (a security feature) which means I don't think you will be able to do what you want. The best solution that I can think of quickly would be to replace the quote marks, which be default are the initials and a > with just a | as it would then look similar to a solid line.

I would strongly suggest you change from HTML to Plain Text e-mail it makes like easier. Keep HTML for web pages and text for e-mail. This probably isn't what you want to hear and you are probably thinking "why should I have to change my e-mail format?" and I understand that however if you are serious about e-mail (and you sound it as you hav moved from OE/TB) then why not change the format as well?

m4rc reviewed v2.13 'Lucky' Beta 6 on Aug 16, 2004

Best email-program EVER!!! I've ben using it for a fairly long time...couldn't live without it.

PDavid, I don't think it's possible :(

PDavid reviewed v2.13 'Lucky' Beta 5 on Aug 15, 2004

I find The Bat the best e-mail program ever, I just changed from Oe and Thunderbird, though I would have a question from you, professionals: :)

How do I make a Reply template which is exactly the same as Outlook Express's? Actually, I would like to copy the exact HTML form, not only the text itself in the reply message, and I also want a long vertical line next to the quoted message instead of ">"'s. How might that be possible? With that fearure, I'd give The Bat a 6 grade on a 1-5 scale ;)

Thanks, anyone!

Edpaul reviewed v2.13 'Lucky' Beta 4 on Aug 10, 2004

The Bat! beats all the other email packages because of its powerful simplicity.

It might not have the glitz of other packages, but look under the hood and you'll be amazed!

dim reviewed v2.12.03 Beta on Jul 25, 2004

finalcut, just choose Tools -> Import Messages -> From UNIX-mailboxes in The Bat, and select your Thunderbird mailboxes. It isn't possible to automatically import all the folder structure, alas.

deadmonkey reviewed v2.12.03 Beta on Jul 23, 2004

I have tried Thunderbird several times over the past 2 months and it is a great as a replacment to Outlook Express (and perhaps even Outlook in same ways) however it isn't in the same league as The Bat! and to be honest not many programs are!

I am not bashing Thunderbird, like I said it is a great client however it is designed to replace Outlook Express. The Bat! is designed for 'hardcore' e-mail users.

The Bat! isn't for the casual e-mail user however for people who get a large volume of mail and want/need to manage it in a stable, fast and most of all powerful environment then The Bat! is for you.

finalcut reviewed v2.12.03 Beta on Jul 23, 2004

hey guys, have you ever been able to import thunderbird emails to thebat???

cDima reviewed v2.12 on Jul 22, 2004

Of course there's spell checking: while editing, there's "Spell Check" in the menu. It uses any MS Office engine avaliable and others.

Thunderbird doesn't offer mearly as much filtering and tamplate power as The Bat! And doesn't have quick tablates.

The Bat! is truly the most powerful mailer avaliable out there. As I'm a emailoholic, you can trust me. ;)

Batler reviewed v2.12 on Jul 14, 2004

Best email client ever.

joyken54 reviewed v2.12 Beta 7 on Jul 4, 2004

Where is the spell check option? Am I missing something, it must be somewhere?

nemrtvy reviewed v2.12 Beta 7 on Jul 3, 2004

Using for a while, moved from outlook 2003. As the only mail client imported ALL outlook directories and mail correctly, without doing all files in one directory. Perfect !!!

I also like how quick the bat is and that i can personalise my 4 accounts and use different setup for them.

Finally I have tried at least 5 clients like pegasus, eudora, calypso before the bat and after one year using it I can honestly say that the bat is the best email client I have tried.

mxxcon reviewed v2.12 Beta 7 on Jul 2, 2004

good job ogman reviewing software you never used.
saying thunderbird is better than TheBat! is like saying notepad is better than MSWord.
it's simpler to use and comes with free windows, but it's not even in the same galaxy feature wise.
exactly same is true in Thunderbird vs TheBat! case. sure thunderbird is free, but TheBat! has 100s of usefull features thunderbird doesn't(and might never have)

ogman reviewed v2.12 Beta 6 on Jul 2, 2004

Why pay for what is available free. Thunderbird is better, and doesn't cost a cent.

el_vinnie reviewed v2.12 Beta 6 on Jul 2, 2004

Call me if they fixed the IMAP-filtering bug. I'm still using v.1.63, hence the *high* rating.

dhry reviewed v2.12 Beta 1 on Jun 24, 2004

I agree with nimda. No client jaki's my pocztowy like this one. By comparison, Outlook is totally schwack.

deadmonkey reviewed v2.11.02 on Jun 15, 2004

Awesome client! Been using it for years and love it. I recently tried to move to Outlook 2003 to use with my PDA but couldn't The Bat! is for me. Superb client for a heavy (80+ a day) e-mail user like myself. Best purchase I ever made.

nimda reviewed v2.11.02 on Jun 6, 2004

Najlepszy klient pocztowy jaki używałem. Outlook może się schować :P

GooD reviewed v2.11.02 on Jun 6, 2004

Best e-mail client!!

mmore reviewed v2.11.02 on Jun 6, 2004

Moldavian email client is very nice!

It nas only one bug - when I try to open received link in browser, the text of the message moves up, and I have to move all the text back.

But my rating is 4 :-)

jrepin reviewed v2.11.02 on Jun 6, 2004

Quite a nice e-mail application. A lot of features and it works quite fast. But Mozilla Thunderbird is still my favourite. Especialy as it also works in Linux.

finalcut reviewed v2.11.02 on Jun 6, 2004

do you guys think thebat will ever download picture from internet of a html email ???

Jean-Luc Picard reviewed v2.11.02 on Jun 6, 2004

Good E-Mail Client. It has many functions but the menus are unclearly.

Zankur reviewed v2.10.03 on May 7, 2004

really,people who have given thumbs-up to bat,really need to learn reviewing a program.i am an experienced user,and find bat to be extremely complex,time-waste,basic feature less software!plz,don't download it!

trapanator reviewed v2.10.03 on May 2, 2004

I used The Bat! 1.62. That release was much better than this, so I passed to Mozilla thunderbird.

bigalgeorge reviewed v2.10.03 on May 1, 2004

I got TheBat! a few years back and it had a few bugs, but had good tech support so was good enough for me to buy. Now what they do is fix (or attempt to fix) a bunch of bugs then re-release it as a new version (still with bugs) and charge their customers more for an upgrade. They dont seem to take any interest in bug reports from users any more. It is mostly a good email program and I would give it 5 if they fixed up their bugs, or even seemed to care about tech support.

xippon reviewed v2.10.03 on Apr 30, 2004

nothing more to add to jkuy9 words. Simply the best email client.

Metsn reviewed v2.10.03 on Apr 30, 2004

Simply the Best... ,)

geekz reviewed v2.10.03 on Apr 30, 2004

pure guano! use thunderbird.

Petr_Public reviewed v2.10.03 on Apr 30, 2004

To Zankur: do You think downloading images from website, if are not images attached and links are inluded only?

Petr_Public reviewed v2.10.01 on Apr 21, 2004

Virtual folders are great and folder tabs are very useful, thanks and continue good work. I like The Bat!, it has everything I need.

shroom reviewed v2.10.01 on Apr 21, 2004

Tried Poco, got back to The Bat!.
All I need is inside & it works really well :)

difolders reviewed v2.03 RC1 on Feb 12, 2004

I love The Bat! It really saves my time.

finalcut reviewed v2.03 RC1 on Feb 11, 2004

never as good as pocomail!

DJIDJI reviewed v2.03 RC1 on Feb 11, 2004

V.v. good, but seems to be memory killer. on my system AMD,512Mb, XP, TB! eat 21Mb!!!

robodesign reviewed v2.03 RC1 on Feb 11, 2004

I really like this e-mail client. Very advanced filtering system, fast application and secured e-mail reading (no JavaScript and remote image loading). Above all: it uses its own image previewer, HTML page previewer which does not have the same bugs as Internet Explorer. The Bat is the best. Thank you RITLabs.

P.S. I tried other e-mail clients - none as good.

rabbitbert reviewed v2.03 RC1 on Feb 11, 2004

Used Bat! for a long time and hoped that V2.x would be a step into the futur. No way. In the meantime cleary a defeat vs Pocomail ...

joske reviewed v2.03 RC1 on Feb 11, 2004

it can't import mail from thunderbird. that's the problem

Lucifugum reviewed v2.03 RC1 on Feb 10, 2004

I've been using TheBat for the past year or so and I've never had a problem with it. After trying maybe a dozen other email clients, TheBat stood out as the most convienient and feature-packed application.

Havohej reviewed v2.03 RC1 on Feb 10, 2004

Excellent email client.

ogman reviewed v2.02.3 Christmas Edition on Dec 31, 2003

go, go, poco!!!

Drich reviewed v2.02.3 Christmas Edition on Dec 10, 2003

As always, I love this program. It just keeps getting better. I would give it 6 stars if I could :)

Bachalor reviewed v2.02.3 Christmas Edition on Dec 10, 2003

Hi Petr_Public; The actually Language Version is from Oct 17 2003. Here are not ALL phrases translated. I miss also a current REVISIONLIST or "What's new/Changelog" here in the beta forum. Every week a new release, but no information to the user; and not the best support --- Is RITLABS writeputrid???

Petr_Public reviewed v2.02 Christmas Edition on Dec 9, 2003

Updated language pack should be available until week from release. BTW try to look to www.batworld.de or www.thebatworld.de for useful stuff.

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v2.02 Christmas Edition on Dec 9, 2003

I call (wrote) the RITLABS-support, that the German program surface is not completely translated. That is now some weeks ago. But neither an answer - still another correction was made.So the German-user must trouble with an incomplete translation.

Petr_Public reviewed v2.02 CE RC2 on Dec 8, 2003

Pine and Thunderbird are better? Did You really used The Bat!? I am using Pine for three years at work and The Bat! at home - I really don't understand, how You can compare them... And Thunderbird? It has very good spam filtering and is free, but these are only advantages, which I saw during testing. It is slow and has unlimited of crazy dlls. It is not too much configurable, has no templates, no antivirus support, no scheduler, no backuping... It is better? I don't think. Not now, maybe in the future.

Havohej reviewed v2.02 CE RC2 on Dec 7, 2003

Good to see this client one step closer to another excellent final version. Been using TheBat since Halloween Edition 2001, I think. It's amazing to see how much progress has been made since then.

operic reviewed v2.02 CE RC on Dec 7, 2003

How to EXPORT messages from TheBat to the MS Outlook Express ???

Musashi_Sama reviewed v2.02 CE RC on Dec 7, 2003

Very easy to use, light and fast.
More secure than outlook and estable.

steve-lainen reviewed v2.02 CE RC on Dec 7, 2003

I have used The Bat for years. Sometimes it has made troubles, but I have found how to (very easily) solve these and now it works very well.... I don't understand that many users are complaining about bad support.... I have never tried to write directly to Ritlbabs.... but there is a very good mailing list which has helped me a lot...

BonnieD reviewed v2.02 CE RC on Dec 6, 2003

Nope, Poco much better. I loco for poco! :o)

mastercpu reviewed v2.02 CE RC on Dec 6, 2003

Old news. TRhere are many better clients out there.

geekz reviewed v2.02 CE RC on Dec 6, 2003

Agreed...Thunderbird is MUCH better!

ogman reviewed v2.02 CE RC on Dec 6, 2003

Long live The T-bird!

Sahok555 reviewed v2.02 CE RC on Dec 6, 2003

I ike this program! This is the best e-mail client!
New version here 2.02 RC2: http://www.nobat.ru/file...p/beta.200/tb202rc2.rar

Havohej reviewed v2.02 CE RC on Dec 6, 2003

Totally rocks my socks. Full featured email client... AND it can minimize to the systray!

Gaffa reviewed v2.01.56 Beta on Dec 2, 2003

Much better. View Modes really works now.

trapanator reviewed v2.01.56 Beta on Dec 1, 2003

PINE and Thunderbird are better

geekz reviewed v2.01.56 Beta on Dec 1, 2003

Just another in a long, boring string of e-mail clients.

ogman reviewed v2.01.56 Beta on Nov 30, 2003

Not good, don't like it.

zik reviewed v2.01.56 Beta on Nov 30, 2003

thebat is awesome, i rated it one star for the lack of changelogs, but the program is good, and it HAS support for writing html e-mails, just find it. It can handle large quantity of e-mails with no problems, unlike other e-mail readers, it has advanced filtering capabilities, has regular expressions support, templates, flexible address book, etc..

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v2.01.50 Beta on Nov 26, 2003

..and...what's new between this versions? RITLABS not write it here.

mastercpu reviewed v2.01.50 Beta on Nov 25, 2003

Nope, don't like it.

finalcut reviewed v2.01.50 Beta on Nov 25, 2003

when these guys will add the option to send html emails?

finalcut reviewed v2.01.49 Beta on Nov 24, 2003

no sorry, thebat is no more for me...
I've switched to Pocomail which is far supperior in feature and support.

Bachalor reviewed v2.01.49 Beta on Nov 24, 2003

Ok, the Software is generally good. but the Support is absolute down. I wrote RITLABS, because I have problems...nobody answer me ! I wrote 3 Emails...no answer. Is this support? Must I understand it ? Sorry, but therefore I cannot rate 5 stars - support is important for for the quality of a program

Cormac reviewed v2.01.49 Beta on Nov 24, 2003

Changelog? View modes! Woohoo... To bad the crap won't remember which view mode you've selected for your folders upon restart. Useless piece of #@$¤§%!

spiderz reviewed v2.01.49 Beta on Nov 23, 2003

no good!

BonnieD reviewed v2.01.49 Beta on Nov 23, 2003

No bats in my belfry...thumbs down!

zik reviewed v2.01.49 Beta on Nov 23, 2003

changelog?

Gaffa reviewed v2.01.49 Beta on Nov 23, 2003

This email client really IS garbage. It's also my favourite though, but not because it's good - just because it sucks less than all the others. Unfortunately, every time they fix a bug, they introduce ten more. It's terrible programming, I hate it and I can't live with it. I really wish a team of good programmers would clone this email client. Until then, I'll be using Popcorn.

-Overlord- reviewed v2.0.1.26 Beta on Nov 20, 2003

Most worthless piece of junk I have ever seen. People pay for this???

ogman reviewed v2.0.1.26 Beta on Nov 10, 2003

Major crapware! Users are even worse.

krgood reviewed v2.0.1.26 Beta on Nov 10, 2003

If you think this program is good, check out PocoMail. I am a registered user of The Bat as well and find PocoMail a better choice for me. RtLabs support and upgrade needs work!

zik reviewed v2.0.1.26 Beta on Nov 9, 2003

one word: "POWERFUL", if thebat was a man, girls would say 'oh my god, how it is big' hehe, just kidding

Drich reviewed v2.0.1.26 Beta on Nov 9, 2003

In my opinion this is the BEST email program out there. It has features I have not found in any other email client available today. Strong filtering capabilities along with PGP/MIME support. Ive tried just about all of them and always came back to TheBat!. If your looking for a powerfull email program, then this is your last stop.

netnis reviewed v2.0.1.3 on Oct 20, 2003

this is the best on the world e-mail client

raindrop reviewed v2.01.00 on Oct 15, 2003

Great e-mail client,
only better HTML support is needed. and better support for Hebrew (default to right instead align to right option is missing)

Error404 reviewed v2.00.6 on Sep 7, 2003

Nice piece of code!

Petr_Public reviewed v2.00 Final on Sep 4, 2003

To PJE: I have upgraded, because there are many improvements like scheduller, html editor, plugin interface, configurable headers, folder maintenance centre etc. I like new macros and small improvements in program too. I understand, that PGP/MIME or IMAP are not too usable for normal users and beginners, but they are needed. AFAIK there will be additional improvements in interface and filtering system soon, maybe You are waiting for them.

ghammer reviewed v2.00 Final on Sep 3, 2003

Good luck getting support. I have sent email to several addresses from 4 different hosts I have. All have been rejected by a spam filter on RITlabs mail server. Their forums do not allow a login and at that the login page is only in Russian. I have a problem with SMTP sending, but there is no way to contact the company. Too many other email apps to waste time on something that has unimplimented functions, does not do basic sending properly, and that has no way of being supported. I bet the Buy It links work though... SMTP error from remote mailer after end of data:
host argus.ritlabs.com [212.56.194.252]: 550 5.7.1 Blocked by SpamAssassin

Jhulae reviewed v2.00 Final on Sep 2, 2003

They still haven't fixed the uninstall problem! Not only that, if you ever tried the 1.x versions, your trial for the 2.x is already used up.

Sad programming. Junk software from the start.

PJE reviewed v2.00 Final on Sep 2, 2003

Can anyone tell me why I should upgrade from 1.6x to 2.0 if I only use POP3 accounts? There seems to be no new features in V2.

I like TheBat!, and have used if for quite some time for all my none work email, but some things - like no way to set up global filters are annoying.

PJE

CapZap reviewed v2.00 RC1 on Sep 2, 2003

TheBat! is extremely easy and reliable. Every version, every update has performed well for me since March of '99. Anyone who uses Outlook should think seriously about this program for the virus protection and portability of your mail files.

finalcut reviewed v2.00 RC1 on Sep 1, 2003

poco never crashed on me
poco is the best.. simply

rsnidjik reviewed v2.00 RC1 on Sep 1, 2003

Actually, the "real" release of The Bat! v. 2.00 is now available at http://www.ritlabs.com/d...he_bat/beta/the_bat.exe. The folder that it's in says "beta", but it's the actual release (first one after RC1).

kandjar reviewed v2.00 RC1 on Sep 1, 2003

Could be nice if only it wasn't a shareware or if FOXMAIL or THUNDERBIRD (both FREEWARE !) doesn't exist.

finalcut reviewed v2.00 Beta 6 on Aug 29, 2003

yup dude, Pocomail is DA email software

szpok reviewed v2.00 Beta 5 on Aug 26, 2003

Best program for e-mail-i
Pozdrawiam m.a.r.c.i.n(at)gazeta.pl

mrgrieves reviewed v2.00 Beta 5 on Aug 26, 2003

I registered the Bat in Oct 2000 and since then there's been a reasonably steady stream of updates that I've never had to pay for.

V2.00 isn't that big a deal to me, but considering how much I've had from them for free I'm quite happy to pay.

I like the glyphs too. Didn't know about that and now everything looks much nicer. Wonder why they don't make more of it..!

marcusp reviewed v2.00 Beta 5 on Aug 26, 2003

For those of you who don't know it, you've been able to change the icons for several months...
Here are some glyphs:
http://www.nobat.ru/glyphs.html

My preferred one is:
http://www.nobat.ru/skins_mranderson.html

just put the bmp in The Bat! folder.

Ragle Gumm reviewed v2.00 Beta 4 on Aug 25, 2003

Finally I switched to Pocomail. The GUI of The Bat! pisses me off as well as Ritlabs upgrade policy ... 50% discount if I upgrade during the first two months? No way!!!

mrgrieves reviewed v2.00 Beta 4 on Aug 25, 2003

Found this tucked away on the Ritlabs Download page:

Important Note: Ritlabs informs all the customers that the planned release date for The Bat! V.2.** is September 1, 2003. Within two months from the release date, registered users of The Bat! v1.** are eligible to buy The Bat! V.2.** with 50% discount from the current price of V.2.**, regardless of the type and the number of licences of The Bat! v1.** bought before. We will publish an additional information on our site at September 1, 2003.

Hope they don't miss the release date....

finalcut reviewed v2.00 Beta 3 on Aug 20, 2003

gui is bad, write mail dialog is bad
i just hope this SS isnt the new 2.0* version

ill stick with pocomail which is FAR superior

nevers reviewed v2.00 Beta 2 on Aug 17, 2003

It is reported on the German newsgroup for TheBat! that RitLabs has announced that :
"Please note that this new Beta requires new registration keys. The upgrade policy will be available from our official site shortly".
A pretty poor way to notify me (a registered user) about "a new policy" !
Otherwise, a good program.

ovelho reviewed v2.00 Beta 2 on Aug 17, 2003

It doesn't work with my original Key ! :(
The 2000 Beta 1 Works Fine. I hope I still having rights, as a legal costumer, to upgrade my version to final version 2....

mrgrieves reviewed v2.00 Beta 2 on Aug 16, 2003

Bear in mind I've been registered since 2000 - so it may be just me...!

jimf43 reviewed v2.00 Beta 2 on Aug 16, 2003

I'll put down my hard earned cash for this one too, but, 'No Biggie'? I'be never had a problem running TheBat! betas, but, Having no way to preregister really concerns me, and, I think I'll pass on using 2.02.

kaishaku reviewed v2.00 Beta 1 on Aug 3, 2003

Whirly, I agree with you and must ask, what are the other two applications you can't run your home business without?

rocky500 reviewed v2.00 Beta 1 on Aug 2, 2003

I've used TheBat! email for a while & think its great & reliable.
I was hoping with ver 2 they would decide to finally update the graphics(look) but unfortunately it still looks the same.

You can download a newer version here:
ftp://ftp.ritlabs.com/pub/the_bat/beta/tb200b01.rar
[!] Fully reworked true IMAP support

[-] Bugs with common folders (introduced in 1.63 Beta)

[-] Some cosmetic bugs in HTML editor

Damador reviewed v2.00 Alpha 4 on Aug 2, 2003

hjvekjhtv - this is a password - sory for early post

techt reviewed v2.00 Alpha 4 on Aug 1, 2003

Hmm, The Bat alpha 4 is a Password Protectet RAR Archiv.

Does anybody now this Password?

:-(((((

I hope there will be REAL IMAP SUPPORT...

whirly reviewed v1.63 Beta 11 on Jun 25, 2003

This eMail client is actually a "10". I've been using The Bat! since 1999. I chose it because I needed the ability to manage over 400 customers' eMails "easily". It was then THE easiest and most powerful eMail client at the time and they just keep making it better. This is one of 3 programs I just couldn't run my home business without.

Scorched Earth reviewed v1.63 Beta 8 on Jun 5, 2003

Over the past 6 months, TheBat has really grown on me. It simply has what I need in an email client.

User61 reviewed v1.63 Beta 5 on Jan 23, 2003

Is it just me or the uninstaller bug is still there? I still can't uninstall The Bat! even after installing version 1.62i over it although the changelog states that the bug has been squashed with 1.62i. Sucky.. Anybody with a solution?

marekmikus reviewed v1.63 Beta 5 on Jan 21, 2003

It is the best client I have ever used. As You write about unistaller, it will be with some other bugs fixed in version 1.62i, which will be released until end of this week, as I know. As full support of IMAP4 - it will be implemented in completely new version 2.0, which will be released this year (until 6 months).

paul-white reviewed v1.63 Beta 5 on Jan 21, 2003

I keep looking for a better program but just cannot find one. It does everything I need and more! For support you really do need to subscribe the the various mailing lists that exist, check out the web site for details. Although version 2 is being worked on version 1 is still being enhanced. Please do try this program because you won't regret it.

rx-182 reviewed v1.63 Beta 4 on Jan 16, 2003

The Bat! is by far the best e-mail client. Small, fast ...perfect. And for those who are too lazy to find the info, there we go: :::BETA 1::: [*] Folders are now stored in new format (ACCOUNT.FLD), which should be more safe for networking and system crashes
[+] Possibility to use an alternative editor using the Message Editor "Options|Message format" menu options :::BETA 2::: [+] Check Spelling before Send/Queue option in the message editor
[*] Some CSAPI engines (like Czech, Slovak, maybe Polish and others) are handled more precisely
Windows editor: sticky setting, spell checking, search/replace ::: BETA 3::: Minor bugfixes as i see.

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v1.63 Beta 4 on Jan 16, 2003

Hello "zik",
the problem was not, that I can not read. I please, that you read, WHEN I write my posting. It was BETA3 - into this Ritlabs has NOT TELL "what's new" into the BETA1, BETA2 and BETA3.
Then I think, that the customer support begin by the "shareware" user. But Ritlabs ignor messages, what write from 'unknown' users. This behavior is so not correct. Customer service begins down, with the first user contact.Also the German selling/distributor did not react to further inquiries. SORRY-but that is not acceptable for me.

zik reviewed v1.63 Beta 4 on Jan 15, 2003

it's highly configurable, powerful and secure, the support is quickly, however a bit limited for who didn't buy the program and for the guy who asked for the modifications in the beta series... CAN'T YOU JUST READ?

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v1.63 Beta 3 on Jan 15, 2003

After a few days ago I have contact 'RitLabs' for a problem. But I have not receive a answer.
The next was; why RITLABS not write, what's new at this BETA version? I see, that come beta1,beta2,beta3 and so on - but whats new ?????

User61 reviewed v1.63 Beta 2 on Jan 7, 2003

The reason why I like The Bat is because it looks like "early 90s software". But that isn't entirely true. If you turn off the toolbar and customize it properly, you'll get a very professional looking email client. Clean and sleek. The toolbars are a bit ugly, I agree.

GhostMan reviewed v1.63 Beta 1 on Jan 4, 2003

This program rocks! It would be perfect if they revamped the GUI so that it didn't look like early 90s software (ala Eudora).

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v1.62 on Dec 7, 2002

Now, by the BAT! I have the possibility, easy save ALL emails. The BAT! make subfolders; if you copy this to another PC and starte The BAT!, ALL mails are available without installation.
This is a great function, if you must RE-install Windows. Outlook is there substantially more complex and more difficult.
But - if I write a Email to RITLABS, I receive no answer.
Sorry, but this this behavior is not customer friendly at all!

RAT reviewed v1.62 on Dec 6, 2002

Best and most sophisticated mail app ever. THE app for professionals! But beware, it's not a pseudo/wanna-be all-rounder like Outlook pretends to be. TB just handles e-mails, but does this much better than other products! support? try the mailing lists at ritlabs.com or the usenet newsgroups. To german users I recommend the forums over at batworld.de.

DJWesley2K reviewed v1.62 Beta 17 on Dec 4, 2002

For the record ... I would never rate a program 5 stars if I knew there were known problems with it! Have you ever got a reply back from these guys when you send a e-mail to their support team? If so, then you can go ahead and rate the program a five (5) since this would be considered a criteria to rate at that level if you feel that the program has no flaws at all and does everything it clams to do.

Members, We have people who come here to see our reviews and if we don't come to any agreement on how we rate these betas when we are misleading our viewers!

Four (4) is good if there's a know issue that you can live with, the design and useability is good and the other features are working properly.

Three (3) is ok, considering that the program does what claims to do "best" ... but still doesn't supply the whole picture and needs more improvement on those areas.

Two (2) is sub-par, the program doesn't comform/perform to almost all of the specifications noted, the tech support is bad, the design/useability is horrible, and there aren't any notable visual/functional changes that warrants a new revision.

A One is Awhful ... the program needs a complete overhaul and doesn't need to be posted here until the author has the confidence that his program can generate at least a Two (2) based on the standards we "Members" place on their work!

techt reviewed v1.62 Beta 7 on Oct 23, 2002

'wonko' is right i have the same probs...

Ragle Gumm reviewed v1.62 Beta 5 on Sep 11, 2002

hey there is a new beta out there .... but still without IMAP support .... isn´t it so WONKO ????? ha ha ha

be that as it may ... still the best e-mail client on earth
therefore i give it a *****

wonko reviewed v1.62 Beta 2 on Aug 31, 2002

That's *exactly* why I'm posting, rocky. I thought that was blindingly obvious. The Bat! is a great mail client, but it has horrible IMAP support. I want the developers to improve their IMAP support so I can use the program, which completely rocks in every other aspect. So far, though, despite a huge number of users requesting IMAP support (just check the mailing lists), the developers have completely ignored us.

rocky500 reviewed v1.62 Beta 2 on Aug 31, 2002

I feel sorry for Wonko. I have seen the other emails programs that have better Imapi support. They handle imapi better but the rest of the program sucks. I think wonko wants The bat! because it is far superior to other email clients. He persistance I think he hopes they will improve the imapi in the bat for him. Why else would he keep posting.
I never use imapi so the bat! is excellent for me.
It could do with a much needed facelift though.

Dirk van Hoofen reviewed v1.62 Beta 2 on Aug 30, 2002

The BAT! is really good - fast and easy to work. BUT - The fact is very angry, that RITLABS AND the german distributor Dieter Hummel does NOT answer to mails, if I have write.
Why ???
I don't know.
So I thinks, that the support are lousy - so I think, that I not support/buying a version from this...sorry....

Ragle Gumm reviewed v1.62 Beta 2 on Aug 30, 2002

Wonko ... I guess everybody here got the point that you like programs with IMAP support. So why the hell are you posting here again and again? Take your favorite IMAP proggie and be happy!

nevers reviewed v1.62 Beta 1 on Aug 28, 2002

beta 2 is now out.

myslts reviewed v1.62 Beta 1 on Jul 17, 2002

Tha Bat is very good, provide the fast and tough even in the slow internet connection. Wow.
But, it seems no any significant improvement. Composing mail in html format still ........ huh.
I use it any way.
Ritlabs, please do any significant improvement. Common, you can make it.

darkuni reviewed v1.62 Beta 1 on Jul 17, 2002

And 10 of the 12 people in your office are wide open to every security attack on the planet. Neat.

I'd rather have an update every week than 3 times a year like Outlook. Shows dedication to the program's user base to continue to improve their software. They also don't have a team of 150 people writing it either.

As for HTML email, what a waste. HTML has no business in email to begin with. People that use that crap are spammers and people that have nothing important to say, but how neat I can have a maple leaf in it.

I'm stuck using Outlook at work - and I'll tell you something - I'm THRILLED to come home and use something that doesn't suck.

Enjoy.

MonkY reviewed v1.62 Beta 1 on Jul 17, 2002

Too bad after a few thousand updates TheBat! still need a few more billion updates in the same style (small bug fixes and bugs added in every update) or 5-6 major updates (Outlook style). It's a good email client, too bad it lacks in creating HTML email, a better account manager and a better script manager... As someone reviewed a little time ago, TheBat! would be great to add some new functions (like news reading)... Anyway, after buying on 12 computers in my office TheBat! i've noticed 10 of them (my employees) are still using Outlook (ask TheBat! fans why ?)...

bobad reviewed v1.62 Beta 1 on Jul 17, 2002

As an e-mail client, TheBat is good, but nothing special. One can get freeware programs nearly as good. Now if the hard-working developers would get off their butts and add news reading ability (Usenet), TheBat could give Agent a run for its money and rate a 5! :-) (bobad@charter.net)

voidx reviewed v1.62 Beta 1 on Jul 17, 2002

best email client. For all the complainers: join the Bat! beta testing mailing-list to discuss your questions and post bugs. It's very easy to throw sludge at developers if you know nothing about their work. TheBat! developer team is small and now is hard-working on Bat! v2.0

wonko reviewed v1.60n Beta on May 31, 2002

IMAP? What's that? (my impression of The Bat's authors)

ditoa reviewed v1.60k Beta on May 8, 2002

It is a good program however i do not prefer it over Outlook XP. True Outlook has security problems but an intelligent person will have a decent virus scanner (which scans ALL emails), will have the security features enabled and will know NOT to open emails which they think are milicious. I have recieved all of the recent virus' (in the past 2 years at least) and i have never had an infection as Norton has always caught it and i have never opened any mail which is not directly related to something i am involved in. The Bat is nice, its interface takes some getting used to as it is a little messy and it doesnt look as "clean" as other mail programs however it is still decent and if you dont have/want Outlook then this is probably the best mail client to use. It has some excellent features (esp. the replies/forwarding things) but they do take a little while to learn and implament. I give it 4 as a personal opinion, if they made the interface a little nice (i personally like a nice interface) then i will give it 5.

herc reviewed v1.60j Beta on May 4, 2002

does someone know if they fixed the outlook import module ?
i have mailed them 3 weeks ago the two bugs (mails are shortened if they contain german mutated vowels, and it crashes if it tries to import mails from the "send folder")

without outlook import i will not change from outlook because i do not want to loose my emails. eudora's outlook import works fine, but i wish to use the bat.

DigitalSin reviewed v1.60j Beta on May 4, 2002

Darkuni: It's good you take your e-mail that seriously and personal - must be a pretty dull life. The Bat!, whilst a decent program, is not as light as you'd have people believe. On both my machines it would take upwards of 20-30 megs RAM. About the same as full blown Outlook XP.

The Bat! crashed pretty often, and I keep my boxes light. I don't install anything trivial like running sheep or whatever shareware you eluded to.

Get a grip, calm down, and breath,

The Bat! is decent, not worth paying for right now. Outlook Express is quite the superior (AND free). I believe TB will surpass it sometime if the team keeps working at it.

techt reviewed v1.60i Beta on May 3, 2002

I've found "The Bat!" to be a decent program... Except, it's IMAP functionality is crap. It does not do IMAP using the proper IMAP standards... ie: it treats IMAP like POP, Downloading all the mail, then deleting the mail from the IMAP server (unless you tell it to leave mail on server). It also will not properly update mail on the server, ie: if you reply to a mail, it will not flag it as Replied, as other email programs with comply w/ the IMAP standard do (see: Becky!, Mulbery, Eudora, OE, Outlook, and Pine). This is wrong. IMAP is supposed to leave all mail on the server, until you flag it deleted, then purge the mail. Until they fix this, unfortunately, I wont be able to use this program.

KayNine reviewed v1.60i Beta on May 3, 2002

@darkuni: thumbs up! I totally agree with you.

I use it at work against all company "security" guidelines and am laughing my a** off when others have to stop working every other day just to update there virus scanners, remove another virus, install the next MS hotfix.

Say what? Using the TheBat and Opera I never have had any problems, both fast and stable. Using this setup _I_ could still work with a P233MMX and WinNT4 (not that I really wanted to ;)).

+Kay

darkuni reviewed v1.60i Beta on May 2, 2002

I don't get people. They blame their own lack of knowledge, their bloated, corrupted system, or their pure lack of computer experience on what is the finest email program on the planet.

First off, if THE BAT crashes on your system - IT IS YOU. Its that simple. I use The Bat on Win2k, WinXP and Win9x. On every platform its rock hard. Then again, I don't have crappy bloated 'sheepware' crap running on my system like 3D Icons, or 3D Waving American Flag, or gooney crap like McAfee A/V or Zone Alarm Pro running on my box, tipping it to the brink of unstability.

Second, Email is email - not a web page. I applaude the restrictive nature of HTML email in The Bat. Why do you think so many email programs are vulnerable to the flavor of the month trojans and viruses? Because they are allowing HTML embedded crap and scripts run in your email program. I don't know how many emails a DAY I get filled with viruses by you Outlook sheep that have ZERO protection. Then you whine at me when I email you and say "THANKS FOR SENDING ME THE VIRUS". I don't care if you nuke your own box ... but please ... if you're going to run Outlook or any flavor thereof, keep me out of your contact list.

As for 'beta forever', while here the product is listed as 'beta', it sure isn't listed on the site that way. The NUMEROUS changes and updates made by the authors are AMAZING - when is the last time Microsoft gave you a Service Pack or update to Outlook? Or maybe you run the nice Spyware Eurdora ...

The UI is dull and uninspired? Oh FORGIVE them for keeping the program light and usable without flickering bells and whistles everywhere, requiring triple the resources for what should be a relatively lightweight program. That is what they make AOL for. Its an Email program ... God, everything in life shouldn't be skinnable. I don't get it.

If The Bat doesn't work under XP for you, then take the advice of the professions - NEVER upgrade a Microsoft OS over the top of another one. The ONLY people I know of with any problems running XP are those that upgraded from another OS. Even the programmers at M$ will tell you (not where they could be heard of course) that M$ OSs are not intended to be upgraded - that the Powers That Be force the Windows teams to provide upgrade paths - despite the reports by the team of ALL the problems it brings on. If you upgraded and haven't had a problem - count yourself lucky and knock on wood.

If THE BAT doesn't exist under ADD/REMOVE programs ... then YOU did something wrong. Nuff said - its that simple. This program has ALWAYS supported ADD/REMOVE ... Stop blaming software for your OBVIOUS lack of knowledge on software installation.

The commitment to excellence that THE BAT team strives for is completely admirable in this dog-eat-dog-screw-the-customers world. They have my money - and I happily gave it to them.

I tried every email program on the planet (that I could find) - putting each and every one through their paces ... it took me over a year to find THE BAT - and while NO program is without its minor faults, THE BAT has the richest feature set, the best support, and the best consistant release schedule I've seen in a long time.

If you are looking for the best email program on the planet, don't listen to these clueless people trying to steer you into sheepism. Go to the website, download the latest FULL release, and give it a whirl. After a week, you will never go back.

DigitalSin reviewed v1.60h Beta on Apr 27, 2002

At first I really liked this program, mainly because it was different from the mainstream like Outlook. But after using it for a couple months, it just doesn't have a professional feel to it. The UI is kind of dull and uninspired, and on 2 of the machines on which I installed, Bat! constantly gives errors. When I tried to e-mail tech support (from the menu, which is a nice touch) it bounced right back.

Some things I do like about it: Nice, easy to use templates and filters. The fact it can run just in the sys tray is also very nice.

I think after a few versions perhaps it will be improved, but until then I think I'll stick with my trusty Outlook (and all its annoyances).

voidx reviewed v1.60h Beta on Apr 27, 2002

Thats not caused by The BAT! Its caused by something in your system because for example for me is Bat! working fine (in WinXP of course)...

Bat! is great piece of constantly improving software ! Im giving 5.

gammapooka reviewed v1.60c on Mar 28, 2002

Using this program for years now, its great, BUT....
Since version 1.60 it isnt working under Windows XP :(

dkuntz reviewed v1.60c on Mar 28, 2002

I've found "The Bat!" to be a decent program... Except, it's IMAP functionality is crap. It does not do IMAP using the proper IMAP standards... ie: it treats IMAP like POP, Downloading all the mail, then deleting the mail from the IMAP server (unless you tell it to leave mail on server). It also will not properly update mail on the server, ie: if you reply to a mail, it will not flag it as Replied, as other email programs with comply w/ the IMAP standard do (see: Mulbery, Eudora, OE, Outlook, and Pine). This is wrong. IMAP is supposed to leave all mail on the server, until you flag it deleted, then purge the mail. Until they fix this, unfortunately, I wont be able to use this program.

Orbit reviewed v1.60c on Mar 28, 2002

Oh, my gosh. You mean all I had to do was go to Add/Remove Programs? WTF are you talking about? THERE WAS no entry in there. This is ONE example of the poor quality of this program. I'm not even going to waste my time arguing with you, you obviously like this program, I don't. End of conversation.

voystar reviewed v1.60a on Mar 26, 2002

Orbit: This is normally a review forum, I don't like these people who just make a stupid comment and all it actuallyb says is like "this program is s***ty", without any reasons. There are allways pro's and con's for everything in the world. And for your convenience: If you are using Win2k as u said, I believe. Go to Start>Settings>Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs. Then scroll down until you find an entry called "The Bat!" I think from there on you should be able to do remove the program yourself.

I personally like The Bat! alot. It certainly has some problems with showing HTML mails especially with CSS and XML etc. but well I like safety better then colors. btw emailk was designed to deliver Text and not cool fonts and images embedded into HTML, it's a cool feature but I only send text emails anyways so for me, personally its my favorite Email client.
I only give it 4 starts, because I have no clue why these guys just released the Final 1.60 and now one day later, or was it two? There's a little a behind the version. On their webpage its not obvious where to find informations to the newest changes in version, I think they should put it on the newspage or something.

tweakstr reviewed v1.60a on Mar 26, 2002

I'm a registered owner, and usually am very happy with The Bat and its features. I like what's been added, SSL, HTML engine, etc... but am still disappointed. You would think that with 50 betas, all of the most apparent bugs could have been ironed out. However, within 5 minutes of upgrading to 1.60, I found a bug. Go to the Address Book, and view the Trusted Certificates CA list. Click on a column header seperator, as if you were going to resize a column. BOOM! It will resize the column to 0px wide! Ugh... maybe this will be fixed in the next update... other than minor things ilke this, I still am pleased with the program overall.

klumy reviewed v1.60 Final on Mar 23, 2002

It has takes very long, but finally I'm happy about the Final 1.6

GimieGimieGimie reviewed v1.60 Final on Mar 23, 2002

Finally! The beta's are over! :) Amazing stuff, and the most bizare testing phase i've ever been a part of :P. Amazing e-mail client!

ManiaXe reviewed v1.60 RC2 on Mar 22, 2002

Could it be that the RitLabs people read this forum? They seem to have taken on my version numbering suggestion.

If so, thaks RitLabs, for being open to feedback (something which not many software developers are).

yk reviewed v1.60 RC2 on Mar 21, 2002

Let's hope it'll take less than 50 RCs before the release is out :)

GimieGimieGimie reviewed v1.54 RC1 on Mar 19, 2002

Yes, The Bat is excellent, and it only took 50 beta's to prove that, bless them :)

rocky500 reviewed v1.54 Beta 50 on Mar 19, 2002

All the people complaining about the many betas are pathetic losers.
The author mentioned he had a vote with users on the forum if they would like every beta that he makes little changes or wait for 1 big update each time. Well the majority wanted EVERY beta.
So go blame the users for the many betas.
I for one are impressed with his ongoing comitment with this program.
There is alot of software out that never gets updated!

I myself download his betas only evey so often. Not everyone.

Also "asantos" does any other Email software offer a Mail server? I don't think so. Since I use this feature every other email program must be a 2 compared to 5 for the bat. Remember every user has different uses of email software.
I never use SSL or IMAPI myself.

Excellent Email program with a somewhat outdated interface.
I'm yet to find a better email program.

dobwiu reviewed v1.54 Beta 49 on Mar 17, 2002

Another beta ?!?!? I can't see any change in this version... Could somebody send me a list of change since beta 44 ??? And when will the final version be released ??

t3RRoR reviewed v1.54 Beta 49 on Mar 17, 2002

try it and love it ;)

asantos reviewed v1.54 Beta 49 on Mar 16, 2002

the best email client out there? ok ok does it supports SSL?
nahh guess not

ManiaXe reviewed v1.54 Beta 47b on Mar 12, 2002

First off, this is the best e-mail client out there.
But this, I need to let off... Their version numbering is dead and DEAD-wrong.

A version change of the smallest possible magnitude (i.e. 1.53 > 1.54) should have a relatively short time-slot.
When they need 47+ beta releases to reach a new final-version (which is NOT persé a bad thing), they should reconsider their target version number (e.g. 1.6).

Imagine what an astounding number of beta's we'll have to endure before version 2.00 Final sees the light of day...

nevers reviewed v1.54 Beta 47b on Mar 12, 2002

The checksum of the .rar file is wrong? I cannot expand it!

GimieGimieGimie reviewed v1.54 Beta 47b on Mar 12, 2002

Wow, The Bat! 1.54 Beta 47b (b)! (b)!?
Can only mean they are near an official release! Yippy!

GimieGimieGimie reviewed v1.54 Beta 46 on Mar 8, 2002

Another excellent beta, what more can i say? Best e-mail client around and the most advanced. Finally! They have included a list of changes with this beta, hopefully people will read them and stop moaning about the beta's :)

tai9699 reviewed v1.54 Beta 44 on Feb 26, 2002

My Dad can use this program when set up properly, that means any idiot can. Its great no more having to delete junk mail multiple acounts over the home lan w/ one server for all the mail, its wonderfull, parents dont have to do anything except send recieve email and i administrate the entire thing.

voystar reviewed v1.54 Beta 42 on Feb 22, 2002

I don't know why people argue about the many updates of The Bat!. I think it is better to have many betas, instead of just one big one, where are 1 Million bugs. And the point of "BETA"news is the posting of betas. Betas are not in any need of working really perfect and IMHO there is no limitation of releasing betas. I put it simple: If you don't want to download the newest headbanging beta (with 2 improvements), nobody forces you to do so, you won't miss anything, only iof you want to be the FIRST havin the ultracool beta 89. Everybody has the oppertunity to wait until the final version comes out. Oh well and as a betatester (an official one) you don't have to download every version either, downloading a new BETA version every week is fine IMHO.
I believe TheBat is the best E-Mail client. I heard of people saying it is copied from Eudora, or Pegasus Mail... well think whatever the woman is made out of a rib of a man ;) Seriously I think that TheBat is an outstanding program and I love the fast support of the ritlabs team. That's all I can say.

voystar

RAT reviewed v1.54 Beta 41 on Feb 20, 2002

TheBat is simply the best emailer for professionals, people with lotsa mailaccounts oder people receiving many emails per day. It's perfect, especially concerning security (PGP, DigitalSignature, S/MIME, view folder contents only with a password etc). Comfortable, unbelievable quick, great filters/sorting, a very transparent surface (you can easily view the logs) and tons of other grrrrrrrrrreat features ;-)

Don't moan about the betas: IIRC RITLABS put up a poll on their website asking the people if they prefer a public or an internal beta test. And the people (wise as they are) voted for the public beta-test, to have a completely bug-free version if TheBat left the beta-phase. You don't need to grab every single Beta!!!

BTW: This is the first shareware I ordered in all my life!

GimieGimieGimie reviewed v1.54 Beta 41 on Feb 20, 2002

God, why are you people moaning!? If you don't like the amount of excellent beta's they keep releasing then don't download the program! I too think, it's silly the amount of beta's being released, and that a final was due ages ago. But i see little point on giving the product 1 star because of it. If you hate downloading or even seeing a new beta everyday, stick with the beta you already got til the final comes out, but don't come here and moan.

eddie reviewed v1.54 Beta 40 on Feb 20, 2002

That was the first update in 9 days.. thats not bad.

DJWesley2K reviewed v1.54 Beta 40 on Feb 19, 2002

Get ready for The Bat! version 163 in the next three months! This is gettin ridiculous! Why don't they try a little of Microsoft's analogy of updating: "Patches and service packs!"

I've never seen this program in its final version ... s***, even the Christmas Version was a beta! :P

debonair reviewed v1.54 Beta 39 on Feb 10, 2002

Look at this? 3 days between betas. get it right the first time.

zzerg reviewed v1.54 Beta 34 on Feb 1, 2002

IMHO You can not find reference to TB! betas on RIT site.
It is good. If you wanna test betas and know what changed in new beta - join TB! beta maillist. I think you can treat these betas as *internal* betas for small community (mainly members of maillist). So, wait for official release. I don't know why info about these betas appears here.

kmansuri reviewed v1.54 Beta 34 on Jan 31, 2002

ENOUGH WITH THE FREAKIN BETAS.
Look, there has been NO changes that I have noticed amongst the 34 betas as of this posting.
The Bat! is the best e-mail program out there barnone.
It does not have the greatest UI but it is extremely powerful and archiving email is a cinch.

ManiaXe reviewed v1.54 Beta 33 on Jan 30, 2002

Excellent mail client. It's been my favourite for a while now.

Only thing I dont understand is the astounding number of betas involved for the small step from 1.53d to 1.54. (33 thus far).

thebrix reviewed v1.54 Beta 21 on Dec 31, 2001

An enormously capable program, but an acquired taste - intimidating for new users, as the full power of the program is right in your face, and not as slick in user interface terms as other email packages (not that that matters much when, like me, you have hundreds of email messages a day to field on POP3 and IMAP accounts; I have a 60,000 email message database which The Bat! handles stably!).

Those qualms apart, I would not now use any other email package. Although the help supplied with the program is sub-standard, the authors run several mailing lists which are a crucial resource for problem-solving.

(Also, the version numbering is a red herring ... the changes between 1.49, when I started, and 1.54 betas are way beyond what other organisations would consider two or even three major versions).

Fixerman reviewed v1.54 Beta 18 on Dec 21, 2001

I hardly ever buy software but this app is really worth the price. Can't wait for 2.0 :)

KAMiKAZOW reviewed v1.54 Beta 17 on Dec 19, 2001

I tried it - I didn't like it.

fooooobar reviewed v1.54 Beta 16 on Dec 15, 2001

not being able to send HTML is bad thing?????!!!!!! Its the best feature! the *BEST* client available, by far.

keithblo reviewed v1.54 Beta 10 on Oct 17, 2001

THE GOOD:
---------
- Provides a total backup (compressed) and restore system for all messages & account details- easty to move accounts and messages to another machine.
- Smart and powerful searching of messages (VERY useful)
- Incredibly fast and responsive threaded mail client
- Ultra-secure mail client: no known exploits or weaknesses (can't say that for Outlook or OE with any certainty)

THE BAD:
--------
- Can't create HTML messages!
- Message creation is somewhat wierd!

felix reviewed v1.54 Beta 10 on Oct 17, 2001

Still the best instant messenger despite the ads and bloated features. I've had much better connections to the server since 2000b. With previous versions, ICQ always had problems connecting to the servers but now it works perfect.

What I don't understand is why they make things like Message Archive a separate download while they keep it bloated with non-essentials such as ICQphone, SMS, etc

voidx reviewed v1.54 Beta 10 on Oct 15, 2001

no real improvement ? have you used The Bat! ? i guess no really... im working with bat!, I've 6 accounts and some of them are storing mailing lists like linux-kernel mailing lists (min 100 messages/day) and everything is fast and stable, one of my inboxes has over 21,000 email messages inside, do you imagine what will happen if you try to manage this amount in outlook express ? i have to mention filtering capabilities, customization, automation, crypting, etc, everything is prefectly working. it takes time to find and use every feature but it worth your money and no doubt that 100x better then OE

kgruber reviewed v1.54 Beta 10 on Oct 15, 2001

Offers no real improvement over Outlook Express or Netscape Mail which are both free.

semprini reviewed v1.54 Beta 7 on Aug 27, 2001

Small, fast, reliable and works exactly the way I would expect. Nothing else comes close.

masoud reviewed v1.54 Beta 6 on Aug 14, 2001

.the bat doesnot seem to be a userfriendly app.

AbominatioN reviewed v1.53l Beta on Jul 16, 2001

THE BAT is one of the BEST e-mail clients. Really small & ultra functional. Like the old but still the best file manager DOS NAVIGATOR II.

joflow reviewed v1.53bis on Jun 14, 2001

Good program, it would be GREAT if they didn't have to update it like every other day...

techt reviewed v1.53 RC2 on Jun 9, 2001

I don't understand why it is for
RITLABS impossible to implement full IMAP support...

IMAP is more than only downloading eMails
normaly you can move eMails trought folders...

The IMAP support from The Bat!
had only the possibility to download eMails from all folder - a great job ;)

Sorry RITLABS but thats not that
what i call IMAP support...

Take a look at Becky! or even Outlook Express by M$

JimF reviewed v1.53 Beta 11 on Jun 2, 2001

First, this beta has been out since the 28th (get with it BetaNews).

Aside from that, TheBaT! just keeps getting better. This is the ultimate mail program for *serious* use. Eudora wantabe??? I've used Eudora, and, it's the other way round.

SndGardNx reviewed v1.53 Beta 4 on May 15, 2001

Nice program, but could it try to be Eudora any harder? Go download Eudora 5.x instead & don't bother with this halfway there wannabe.

kotcheff reviewed v1.52 Beta 4 on Apr 12, 2001

I stand very corrected. :) Still, the biggest flaw in my opinion is still there... it's very annoying. I really enjoy the rest of the program though.

wonko reviewed v1.52 Beta 4 on Apr 9, 2001

The Bat! *does* have IMAP support. Read the documentation.

NYCgreen reviewed v1.49c on Jan 14, 2001

The Bat! is a very full featured program considering its size. However, every time that you blink, a new release is issued. Is this for upgrading\updating features, or is it to try and outrun the crack groups?! The crack groups are winning.

ilasoft reviewed v1.49c on Jan 14, 2001

The guy below ment "Shift Key"+"L. Mouse Click" ;)
You can also use "Alt" and "L. Arrow" to go back (click as nuch as u want) and "Alt" and "R. Arrow" to go forward...
No need in another "flipout" type of browser ;)

deryk reviewed v1.49 Beta 1 on Jan 2, 2001

It gets better and better :) Been using this email client for a couple of years now. Although I hold no hope whatsoever that version 2 will be released (it was supposed to be released about 2-3 years ago) version 1 serves me well.
This is not the greatest client for those who are unwilling to learn some keystrokes. Wizard and HTML (ick) fans would be better off with OE.
As for IMAP, I'm surprised... I know nobody at all that uses it here in the UK, or any cheapish ISP that supports it. Shame, as it seems an excellent protocol. Guess it's more popular elsewhere!

rainwater reviewed v1.48 Beta 9 on Dec 4, 2000

Please note, that these betas require you to download the full version from www.ritlabs.com and then replace the_bat.exe with the one in the beta .rar file.

chaplin reviewed v1.48 Beta 7 on Nov 20, 2000

It is the best eMail client I have ever seen. Forget about Netscape & Outlook etc ... When you have tried this you cannot live without. I have bought myself a license so I don't think it needs more comments :). Moreover it takes 10% of Netscapes ressources ... The only thing missing is the support for skins ...

itachi reviewed v1.48 Beta 7 on Nov 20, 2000

what seems to be the problem with imap? one of my email-accounts is imap and i've had no interoperability problems with the bat! at all. for me too it's the best mail program i've ever used.

steno reviewed v1.48 Beta 4 on Nov 11, 2000

Nobody using IMAP??!! Have you been living under an rock for the last years?? Everybody i know use it and everybody _should_ use it, and all ISP i know supports it. If yours dont, change!! Sorry but the BAT is just not good.

deryk reviewed v1.47 Beta 7 on Oct 10, 2000

Although it sometimes seems a bit "messy" (for example, some functions have a hotkey but no menu item or other way to access them) it's still the best email client I've used. Flexibility is the key, and this one is incredibly flexible. Just look at all the filters, templates and so forth.
As for IMAP, there are actually very few people who use it. I couldn't use it if I tried (hardly any of the UK's ISPs support it, and even if they did they don't have the offer for unmetered, high quality access that my provider does).

Grisoft reviewed v1.47 Beta 5 on Sep 20, 2000

Maybe 'MeToYou' was expecting something else.
I've tried lots of e-mail programs and The Bat! has fulfilled all my expectations. I even bought 10 licences for my company and that speaks for itself.

MeToYou reviewed v1.46c on Sep 18, 2000

Nuts, man, just nuts. Way too expensive for nothing that great offered over the best free e-mail apps (MS Outlook Express, Pegasus, Eudora Lite, and even the Netscape junk). Skip this unless you just have to try new/different things.

tatajuba reviewed v1.46 Beta 5 on Sep 11, 2000

Better than Eudora, I consider high of price for what offers.

ahooger reviewed v1.46 Beta 5 on Sep 10, 2000

Looks good but cluttered: too bad it's shareware. I'll probably wait for Mahagonny/W32

jimfarnsworth reviewed v1.46 Beta 5 on Sep 10, 2000

It should be mentioned that this beta includes MAPI ability. Nice touch. And, yes next time we'd like to see a news reader; but as a mail program this shure beats whatever else is out there.

bobad reviewed v1.45 Beta 5 on Jul 3, 2000

Enough already! As an E Mail program, The Bat is a 5, but as a news reader, it's a 0. So get busy and make us a good alternative to Agent. :-)

prymyl reviewed v1.45 Beta 5 on Jul 3, 2000

I'm sure its a good program cause i relly need it seeing as how g** napster keeps crashing & not to mention scour xchanges slow/crashy program. I was really looking forward to using this program but you can't get more users on your server if you can't install the program. When you open it the screen just flashes & thats it... so.... i will be checkin back because i relly neep a program.

nalds reviewed v1.42c on May 8, 2000

The new message base engine on this version is really cool. I have thousands of emails in one folder and it displays them all in no seconds not like before. Also the kill dupes in all folders are so cool. I love the bat before and I love it even more.

MjB reviewed v1.41 beta 5 on Mar 7, 2000

one of the best emial clients i have ever used...real multi taskin, luv it.... please keep up the good work...

MjB

dave297 reviewed v1.41 beta 5 on Mar 7, 2000

This is a fine eMail program, except they do not have TRUE HTML support. When they do, then and only then will it be complete.

atropa reviewed v1.41 Beta 3 on Feb 16, 2000

the best piece of email software out there, it looks good, is straightforward, contains a mailticker and support for multiple accounts with multiple transport options for each. the only piece of shareware i've found worth buying in years.

enuzzo reviewed v1.41 Beta 3 on Feb 4, 2000

...absolutely nothing can bite this client! it's something spectacular, easy and complete. Outlook and Eudora sux:)

sumidexe reviewed v1.39 on Jan 20, 2000

Argh, shareware. It's ugly too.

mentallo reviewed v1.39 on Jan 18, 2000

The Bat is one of the best e-mail apps out there. It is easy to use and configure and has some great options. It is great for the beginner and the advanced user. It is much easier to use than Outlook and Eudora and has less of an air of seriousness about than the two especially the convoluted and confusing design of Eudora.
All in all: The Bat! deserves to be much better known. A great client.

The Who reviewed v1.39 on Jan 6, 2000

If you have a bed connection contact Odigo's tech support. They will solve it. These guys know what they are doing, you better watch them. Many new featurs to come.

avneron reviewed v1.39 on Jan 6, 2000

Cool app. Much better than ICQ.
Go download now!

wonmug reviewed v1.38 Beta 6 on Dec 6, 1999

The Bat has many good features that set it apart from the run-of-the-mill mail clients. The most striking is the MailTicker which streams information on newly arrived messages. The ability to make detailed configuration settings for each folder is excellent. The sorting functions are more advanced than many programs, but I couldn't find an option to leave files on the server without downloading them if certain conditions are met.

The absence of user-defined keyboard shortcuts, and the relative difficulty of navigating completely without a mouse are minus points. (The biggest minus point for me is the lack of two-byte language support.) Many of these features have long been promised, but the authors are slow to implement them. It's only a few tweaks away from being a truly great program that can compete with the best Japanese software such as Datula and EdMax.

xQx reviewed v1.38 Beta 4 on Nov 26, 1999

I appologise for my previous statement, it was a typo :) thats what happens when you think about one thing and type another, I ment to say TheBat ... IS *shareware*... if you put that in the statement makes a lot more sence.

Also, thanks to Sashka B. for the changes list, it was much appreciated.

TheBat is it IS freeware and nags with a countdown screen counting 30 days using the Realtime clock from the date of install.

RobHz reviewed v1.38 Beta 3 on Nov 23, 1999

reaction to the post by Will Lotto :
TheBat! is _not_ freeware, it's shareware or, as it says on the Ritlabs site :

The Bat! is a try-before-you-buy software. The registration gives you the right to
use The Bat! after the 30-day trial period, receive technical support and use
features available only for registered users.

and believe me ; it's worth every dollar i paid !! ;-)
i can now manage all my e-mail accounts, POP-3 and IMAP in a single program. very user-friendly and more options - filters, macros etc. - than i'll ever use !

Rob

sashka reviewed v1.38 Beta 3 on Nov 22, 1999

You can check changes at TheBat Beta Mailing list:
View the TBBETA archive at http://tbbeta.thebat.dutaint.com

Authors posting news about new version there with list of changes.

xQx reviewed v1.38 Beta 2 on Nov 22, 1999

Thebat boasts features on par with some of the most popular mail clients such as eudora, netscape, or outlook express.
TheBat boasts an easy to use, good looking interface while packing many advanced features only ever seen before in pegasus mail.

I have used this client for about 2 months now, moving away from pegasus due to TheBat's natural support for PGP. I have had nothing but success with it and would recommend it to anyone not in bed with Microsoft and forced to use OE :)

My only complaint with TheBat is it IS freeware and nags with a countdown screen counting 30 days using the Realtime clock from the date of install. Anyone with an intimate knowledge of regedit can keep this on 1 day, but I wouldn't condone any of that sort of activity :)

My only other complaint is, with the absance of a README.TXT or a WHATSNEW.TXT, the question remains to be answered, what has changed since 2.36?

sashka reviewed v1.38 Beta 1 on Nov 19, 1999

I'm using this program for very long time and find it very usefull. It takes just little bit memory (much less than netscape messager/eudora/oe express) and works much faster. Authors promising add news servers (nntp) support in next major version (2.0) which comming soon to website near you ;-)