Can Thunderbird send an out-of-office autoreply?

Question

I couldn't find a way to configure out of office auto reply mechanism in Thunderbird like there is in Outlook. The only way i have found through searching online is to create a message filter but that needs the laptop and Thunderbird to be running all the time, which is stupid in my view. Please share if you know a way.

Solution

Thunderbird and Outlook are local E-Mail-Clients so they must be running to answer your E-Mails. The difference is, that Outlook is often connected to an Exchange-Server which sends those Messages on your behalf (and runs all the time btw.). Thunderbird doesn't have such a Server equivalent and therefore doesn't provide the functionality you are asking for. You need to find out which Mailserver your company is running and configure your out-of-office note there (ask an Admin).

Comments

[subeh.sharma]

But if you're on vacation then you wouldn't keep your laptop at home running. That's my concern

[subeh.sharma]

btw any extention which might be able to communicate with the exchange server the way Outlook does?

[wintersolutions]

@subeh.sharma I doubt this exists, see bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=477418