Have you noticed how most mail readers stink? After a KMail frustration today, here’s a comparison to help you choose your next mail reader.

• Outlook: Always looks normal, then suddenly e-mails your 6GB PST file to Russian spammers or Microsft and deletes it
• Thunderbird: Your choice of 42 fully themable crash messages in 30 languages
• Gnus: Crashes, after first consuming 2GB of system RAM
• Lotus Notus: Makes you wander through virtual filing cabinets for 2 hours to find your e-mail, *THEN* crashes.
• Pine: Sends a satisfaction survey to the University of Washington every time it crashes
• Elm: Impossible to distinguish a crash from regular usage
• Eudora: Crashing the same way since 1985
• Mac Mail.App: Can handle up to 5 simultaneous animated segfaults at once
• Evolution: Crashes, but never really dies…. or does it???
• Hotmail: Crashes are “to serve you better”
• GMail: You must receive an invitation before we prevent you from deleting your mail… and no, that is not Mr. Ashcroft at the keyboard.
• KMail: Pops up a new dialog box every 5 minutes to inform you that it’s crashing again, “just in case you didn’t know”
• Mutt: Crashes can be removed by just the right .muttrc
• MH: Crashes, then presents the core file as new mail

The Register has a funny article about things that British spy agency MI5 is telling people to be wary of when they travel abroad. Two favorite quotes:

In a blow for the traditional holiday romance business travellers are also reminded: “If you are required to report intimate relationships with the nationals of certain countries to your Security Co-ordinator, make sure you do so promptly and honestly.”

And:

Travelers should also look out for lavish hospitality . . . Presumably you will know if you are being recruited by British or American intelligence services because they will tie you to the ceiling and deprive you of sleep rather than seduce you with such luxuries.