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Mozilla Thunderbird Challenges Gmail With Its Own Email Service
(www.forbes.com)
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
From my understanding thunbird is somewhat separated from this. From the article linked by OP it says:
I should donate again. As someone who still depends on gmail, I keep forgetting how annoying it was to get ads every time I refreshed my inbox, before I switched to their app. Glad things seem to be working out.
It is extremely easy to switch email providers these days. I'd suggest start by setting up a forwarded mail box between Gmail and whatever new mail provider you choose. Then slowly but surely start using the new email address instead of Gmail and change the most important accounts to the new one.