Ok, DH tried some other stuff but the folders are back after 2 days. Argh.

Took a closer look a Thunderbird and I'm strongly considering skipping it and trying something else. Even just trying to use it temporarily, it's bloody horrible! It doesn't import or export you mail in standard mbox format for starters. It says it imports directly from Apple Mail, but that simply doesn't work, at least not with the Lion version of Mail.

I also just tried "Postbox" which I've since discovered is based on Thunderbird (it's obvious). While it can successfully import all of Mail's folders, the application is again, nothing short of horrible. Seriously, how can someone, an entire team even , release something so poorly thought out? If this was all the was available for accessing mail, I'd use webmail exclusively. Even a 10-year old Yahoo mail UI is better. Frustrating to the point of wanting to throw the computer down a flight of stairs.

Next up is Outlook 2011... Didn't properly import everything. Write-off. Not worth the trouble.

I've decided to simply back up everything from Mail, delete all the original stuff, including prefs, and simply use web mail for the next few days. Somewhat painful, but less so than using one of these other email apps, which are all, to give them more credit than they deserve, huge pieces of shit.

Every developer responsible for Thunderbird should go out right now and apply for a firearms license. In 7 days they should all kill themselves.

I think I have an extra clue as to why so many people like GMail now. Because compared to the state of other (local) email clients, it's actually usable. I hadn't realized how far sensible design practices had devolved for these other applications.