Why use a nonOpensource email client over a Opensource one?

[Marlboro_Red]

Why would you use a nonOpensource email client such as eM client or the bat professional instead of those Opensource like thunderbird, fairmail or k9mail?

 

I have heard mentions of a bunch of these email clients which are either opensource or nonopensource and I am wondering about why would you use an email client which is not open source as atleast for the opensource one, you(or let's be honest someone else) can check if there is anything malicious about the  code inside.

 

So again, why use something like this?

[Bagels]

First some background context:

Thunderbird undergone a major UI change at v115 so it's not gonna be everyone's cup of tea.

FairEmail and K-9 Mail is Android only.

 

Few examples for scenarios when you would want to use shareware email clients:

1. Compatibility with Active Directory and Exchange in corporate environment - MS Outlook

2. Unique features such as officially supported portable version with encryption - The Bat! Voyager

3. When you just more than an email client but less than a full office suite (i.e. a PIM / personal information manager) - eM Client

4. Light and robust standalone client - Postbox (acquired by eM Client)

among other reasons...

 

As far as examining content of the code, open source isn't a panacea. Supply chain attacks are a thing and security is multi-layer.

Endpoint security, antivirus/firewall, and static/dynamic analysis helps take care of detecting if anything malicious happens, which is more likely if userbase is large.

No good if no one actually looks at the code, or scrutiny be diluted by small user base (like some TB forks' case), so it goes back to the point above about userbase size.

 

Do you personally check the source code for FOSS programs that you download/use?

 

 

Edited December 30, 2024 by Bagels
Android