Qualcomm Resources
  Eudora
  Tech Support
  Updaters
  Beta Testing

Unofficial Resources
  Andrew Starr's Eudora Site
  Pete Beim's Eudora FAQs
  Eudora Tips
  Eudora Plug-ins (Mac)
  Eudora Plug-ins (Win)
  Eudora-Mac-L Mailing List
  Eudora-Win Mailing List
  Eudora-Mac Mailing List
  Eudora Mac Newsgroup
  Eudora Win Newsgroup
  Email Conversion Info
  Address Book Converter

Peachpit Press
  Eudora 4.3 VQS Update
  Eudora 4.2 VQS
  Abridged PDF of 3.X VQS

Current Versions
  Eudora 5.2.1 (Mac)
  Eudora 5.2.1 (Win)

TidBITS

As is probably quite obvious, I haven't updated this site in a long time, and although I've just gone through and fixed broken links in the nav bar to the left, I'm probably not going to be updating the site any time soon again. The problem is simply that I can't afford to spend the time supporting a book that is years out of date and won't be updated again due to mediocre sales. If you subscribe to TidBITS, you can stay up to date on all the news that's relevant to Macintosh Eudora users.

Qualcomm has released Eudora 5.1, a free update to their popular email application. New features in the Mac version include support for secure, authenticated connections via SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) if your email server supports them; an option to display signatures inline in message composition windows; support for sending, receiving, and storing vCards; colorizing of MoodWatch trigger words and phrases (Paid or Sponsored mode only); a new MoodWatch settings panel, a conduit for synchronizing your Eudora Address Book with a Palm OS handheld, support for photos in address book entries and in nickname toolbar buttons, the capability to export the Address Book (or just selected entries) to a comma-delimited text file, and a new Address Book settings panel. In addition, Qualcomm fixed a slew of minor bugs. The Windows version adds SSL support, warnings about potentially dangerous attachments, MIME digest bursting, MoodWatch trigger words, strikeout style, and drag and drop support for attachments. For those running Mac OS X, a carbonized version of Eudora 5.1 is in beta testing.

Qualcomm has released Eudora 5.0.2 for Windows, a free upgrade to 5.0 that incorporates a fix for a single crash. 5.0.2 is worth getting in its own right, but also especially if you haven't yet gotten 5.0.1, which fixed numerous crashing bugs and other problems. If you're using a version of Eudora before 5.0, you'll need the full file, but if you're just updating a 5.0.x version, there's a smaller patch program.

Qualcomm has released Eudora 5.0.1 for the Macintosh, a free upgrade to 5.0 that incorporates a few minor tweaks and fixes to Eudora's rewritten Address Book, along with a number of other small modifications to the spell checker, Eudora's IMAP functionality, and importing. If you're using Eudora 5.0 now, it's a worthwhile (and free) update; if you haven't upgraded from a previous version, nothing in 5.0.1 other than improved stability should change that decision. If you're using a version of Eudora before 5.0, you'll need the full file, but if you're just updating 5.0, there's a smaller patch program.

Qualcomm has released Eudora 5.0 for both Macintosh and Windows. The major changes include the Eudora Sharing Protocol (ESP), which lets you maintain a shared folder with other users via email, MoodWatch, which rates the "spiciness" of both incoming and outgoing messages to prevent flame wars, statistics on your usage of Eudora, and, in the Windows version, inline editable signatures and a movable ad window. For more details on the Mac version, see "Eudora 5.0 Reads Your Mind." in TidBITS.

Qualcomm has released updates to both the Macintosh and Windows versions of Eudora, both of which are now at version 4.3.2. Both versions fix numerous minor bugs and the Windows version now warns you (as a security measure) when you attempt to launch certain types of attachments from within Eudora. The updates are well worth the downloads, and you can download either small patches if you already have Eudora 4.3, or larger updates if you're running an earlier version.

There has been some upheaval among the various Eudora mailing lists. Check the navigation bar to the left for a list of links to the current mailing lists.

In the Macintosh version of Eudora, you can tell how well your filters are working by looking at the Last Used date field above the Action menus. Plus, if a filter hasn't been hit in 30 days (yes, you can change this number - look for setting 9707 in the x-eudora-settings list available from <x-eudora-settings@tidbits.com>), Eudora marks it with a tiny dinosaur icon to indicate that it's old. -Page 131

Update to Eudora 4.2 for Windows & Macintosh Released -- I've written a seven-page update (472K download) to Eudora 4.2 for Windows & Macintosh that covers the changes between Eudora Pro 4.2 and Eudora 4.3. It's a PDF document that's readable and printable in Adobe Acrobat. You may find it easiest to read on paper, since it follows exactly the same layout as the book.

In the Mac version of Eudora, if you can't click any x-eudora-setting URLs, turn off the Read from Internet Config (not recommended) setting in the Miscellaneous settings panel (there's a reason why it's not recommended). For more information about x-eudora-setting URLs and a full list, send email to <x-eudora-settings@tidbits.com>.

In the Mac version of Eudora, if you're seeing major slowdowns after upgrading from Eudora Pro 4.2.2 to Eudora 4.3, it may be related to Apple's Network Setup Library. Copy <x-eudora-setting:154=y> to a Eudora message, then double-click it and click the OK button to tell Eudora to ignore Apple's Network Setup Library. For more information about x-eudora-setting URLs and a full list, send email to <x-eudora-settings@tidbits.com>.

Eudora 4.3 Updaters Released -- Qualcomm has released updaters for Eudora 4.3 for both Macintosh and Windows that allow registered users of Eudora Pro 4.x to update to Eudora 4.3 in Paid mode. Users have had some problems with the registration process, which requires that you get a new registration number (and make sure to write that registration number down!). If you experience problems, Qualcomm has posted pages covering common problems with both the Mac updater and the Windows updater.

x-eudora-settings Available via Email -- To simplify access for readers of my Eudora Visual QuickStart book, as well as others using Eudora Pro 4.2 or Eudora 4.3 for the Mac, I've created an email auto-reply that contains the full list of x-eudora-setting URLs you can use to tweak Eudora's myriad of hidden settings (see "Eudora Pro 4.2 Continues to Deliver"). Qualcomm makes the same information available on their Web site, but since x-eudora-setting URLs are useful only from within Eudora, I felt it would be easier to get the 80K list via email, and Qualcomm granted me permission to make them available in this fashion. I've also added information at the top of the file that explains how to use them and pulls out a few especially useful settings.

If you put the word ADD in the Subject line when requesting this list, we will automatically add you to a mailing list of people to receive updates when there's a new version of the main document (you can easily remove yourself from the list as well, and addresses are maintained in confidence according to our privacy policy). To receive the list of x-eudora-settings, send email to <x-eudora-settings@tidbits.com>. To receive the list and all updates, send email to <x-eudora-settings@tidbits.com> with ADD in the Subject line. Feel free to pass these instructions around to other Eudora users who might find them useful.

Eudora 4.3 Released -- Qualcomm has released Eudora 4.3 for both Windows and Macintosh. Feature improvements are minor, but the major change is way Eudora 4.3 can work in three modes: Light mode, Paid mode, and Sponsored mode. Light mode is free, but offers a reduced feature set. It's essentially an upgrade for Eudora Light users. Paid mode offers all of Eudora Pro's features for the standard price of about $40. The hybrid Sponsored mode offers all of Eudora Pro's features for free, but displays a square advertisement box that you can't hide, cover, or otherwise avoid. It's a fair trade - the full Eudora for free if you're willing to view ads. In my testing, the ad box hasn't been a pain, although I'm using a large monitor and it would be more intrusive on a small screen. For more information on this, see the TidBITS article I wrote about it, "Eudora 4.3 Public Beta Adds Free Usage Modes."

New Eudora for Macintosh Mailing List -- Eudora-Mac-L, a new mailing list for discussing issues with Eudora for Macintosh, has started up at Lyris. The mailing list offers a variety of options for reading and submitting and may prove a useful resource for Eudora users.

You can make Eudora check mail for just one or more personalities, whether or not they're normally capable of checking mail, by selecting them in the Personalities window and then, in the Mac version, clicking the Check Mail button, or in the Windows version, right-clicking one of them and choose Check Mail from the pop-up menu. This is a handy way to check mail for infrequently used email accounts. -Page 183

Eudora Pro 4.2.2 for Windows Released -- Shortly after pulling the Eudora Pro 4.2.1 updater, Qualcomm has replaced it with a new 7.5 MB updater that takes Eudora Pro 4.2 to version 4.2.2. The update offers numerous small changes and fixes, and is well worth downloading if you've noticed any problems with Eudora Pro 4.2. The specific change from 4.2.1 is important -if you're using that version - parts of an unsent message could appear in subsequent sent messages.

You can easily find a nickname in the Address Book by typing the first few letters of the nickname. However, this works only if the address book containing the nickname is expanded. -Page 157 (Note that I've updated all the page number references in the tips on this page to refer to the second edition of the book.)

Eudora 4.2 for Windows & Macintosh Now Available -- The second edition of my Visual QuickStart Guide for Eudora 4.2 for both the Mac and Windows is now widely available from bookstores and online. The book covers all the new features of Eudora Pro 4.2 using the same concise, step-by-step style of the previous edition. Since Eudora Pro 4.2 no longer comes with a printed manual (it's $20 extra), the book is an especially useful for anyone who dislikes electronic documentation. And though I'm biased, I also think the book is a lot more comprehensive and better organized.

Eudora Pro 4.2.2 for the Mac Released -- Qualcomm has released a free 4.1 MB updater that updates any release version (but not public betas) of Eudora Pro 4.x to version 4.2.2. The new version offers numerous small bug fixes that make this an important update for all 4.2.x users, along with one notable architectural change that's important for people using Mac OS 9's Multiple Users feature. Starting with 4.2.2, new installations of Eudora now store the Eudora Folder (which contains your mail, nicknames, filters, and settings) in the top-level Documents folder for the owner of a Mac; other users' Eudora Folders live in the Documents folders inside their individual folders within the Users folder. If you're upgrading an existing installation, Eudora is happy to continue using its current approach of storing the Eudora Folder in the System Folder. Along with supporting Multiple Users, this new approach means the Eudora Folder is more likely to be backed up, won't potentially be wiped out by clean installs, and will be indexed by Sherlock by default.

Eudora Pro 4.2 Released -- Qualcomm has released Eudora Pro 4.2.1 for Macintosh and 4.2 for Windows, both of which offer several major new features, including IMAP support in the Mac version, an inline spelling checker that underlines misspelled words, and a much-improved Search capability. The free updater is 3.9 MB (Mac) or 5.2 MB (Windows) and will update Eudora Pro 4.x to 4.2.1 (Mac) or 4.2 (Windows). I strongly recommend that all Eudora Pro 4.0 users upgrade, if only for the inline spell checking and new Search capabilities. If you use the Macintosh version of Eudora, check out the articles I wrote about the new features in "Eudora Pro Continues to Deliver" in TidBITS. Commercial boxed product (the Macintosh and Windows version now come in the same package, which costs $49.95 with a $10 rebate) and a free 30-day time-limited demo version (7.7 MB) are also available.

Eudora Light 3.0.6 for Windows Released -- Qualcomm has released Eudora Light 3.0.6 for Windows to address two issues. First, long attachment filenames could cause 3.0.5 and previous versions to crash. Second, an option was added to 3.0.6 to put up an alert when the user tries to launch an application by clicking a URL or attachment icon in a message. If you're a Eudora Light user, you should definitely upgrade to maintain security - launching a program from a message could prove dangerous if you didn't realize what was happening.

In the Mac version of Eudora, you can remove all styles from text by selecting the text, holding Option, and choosing Completely Plain Text (Command-Option-T) from the hierarchical Text menu in the Edit menu. -Page 48

In the Mac version of Eudora, you can create a new message with an email address in the To line by Command-clicking any email address in a message or directory services window. -Page 174

I sometimes change the status of a message in my In box from Read back to Unread so I'm sure to deal with it again the next day when I read my mail. I also sometimes have a number of messages in my Out box set to Sendable, and it's easier to select them all and change their status to Queued than it is to open each one in turn and click the Queue button. -Page 88

To undo a transfer, immediately choose Undo (Cmd-Z / Ctrl-Z) from the Edit menu. -Page 108

To make a copy of a message into another mailbox, hold down Option (Mac) or Shift (Windows) when you transfer the message. -Page 96

Hold down Option (Mac) or Shift (Windows) when performing a sort to sort in descending order (Z to A) rather than ascending order (A to Z). -Page 105

Occasionally, Eudora becomes confused about the contents of the hierarchical recipient menus (New Message To, Forward To, Redirect To), and includes an item in the recipient menu that doesn't exist in your address book. The simple fix for this in the past has been to create a new nickname with the same name as the bogus recipient menu item. However, Steve Dorner suggests instead holding down Option when you open the Address Book window, which forces Eudora to clean up the recipient menus.

To select all messages in a mailbox whose contents of a column in the message summary are the same, hold down Option (Mac) or Alt (Windows) and click a column in the a message summary. For instance, click the Sender column of a specific message summary to select all messages sent by that person. -Page 82

Setting Eudora to check for messages periodically can prevent disconnects if your Internet service provider disconnects you after only a short amount of time. -Page 71

Hold down Shift when pasting (Cmd-Shift-V / Ctrl-Shift-V) to remove text styles from the text you're pasting. -Page 40

To close all open windows, hold down Option (Mac) or Shift (Windows) and choose Close (Cmd-Opt-W / Ctrl-Shift-W) from the File menu. Option-clicking a window's close box has the same effect in the Mac version of Eudora. -Page 93

Eudora Light 3.1.3 for Macintosh Released -- Qualcomm has released version 3.1.3 of Eudora Light for the Mac. The upgrade adds support for ACAP, the Application Configuration Access Protocol (mostly of interest to network administrators and ISPs) and enables system administrators to pre-configure the Mail Host (POP) server name in the Settings dialog so the user needs only enter his or her username. This remains the current release of Eudora Light for the Macintosh, so if you want to stick with a free version of Eudora, this is your version.

Copyright 1999 TidBITS Electronic Publishing.
Please send comments to Adam C. Engst at eudora-vqs@tidbits.com.