If you do have v55.* this is a beta, intended for testing purposes. It is by no means intended for production use.

The latest Thunderbird release version is 52.3.0. https://www.mozilla.org/thunderbird/

Download and install the release version.

This version of Thunderbird insists on "double-spacing" a sentence that I try to copy/paste to a different position and this makes my whole page look awful.

If your problem is the behavior to insert an extra line break when you press the Enter key, there is a setting for that. Press Alt or F10 to restore the menu bar in case it's hidden. Then go to Tools > Options > Composition > General tab Here you need to uncheck where it says "When using paragraph format, the enter key creates a new paragraph.

Are you sure it is really Thunderbird 55.0.3? The only one I can find with a version number of 55 is TB 55.0b2 which is a beta release. The current official release is 52.3.0.

Sure you haven't given us a Firefox version number?

To cut to the chase, I take it you are pasting text into Thunderbird from somewhere else. Go to Tools|Options|Composition|General, and check that the checkbox labelled "Use Paragraph format instead of Body Text by default" is unchecked.

With fear and trembling I downloaded the latest version of Tb. My fear was warranted. As so commonly in the past, I do not know how to operate the new version. If there is an instruction manual please tell me where I can find it. If there is not an instruction manual for the new version, please tell me how I can reinstall the previous version which I do know how to operate.

Cbrookej, it would be nice if you bothered to state the version with the new operation you claim. Also the operation differences you allege. I have not seen any differences from the versions in the teens to present versions. Maybe you would be happier using your providers Webmail interface. You seem to have lots of trouble trying to use an email client.

I am getting old, my memory is failing. Remember a version number for two weeks? Not a chance. "...providers Webmail interface"...? I may have known about this once, but today I haven't a clue what you are talking about.

In the past I have taught anesthesia, climbed mountains, and flown, none of which would I attempt with the mind I have left today. (The intellectual aspect of climbing may be more important than obvious, at least if you want to come back alive.)

My problem is that when I was still smart enough to understand computers, I became dependent on them. Now that my mind is failing, I'm still dependent on them. I don't know what to do but soldier on as best I can. As long as I can find others patient enough to assist me.

If you eat healthy, get enough exercise, and you are lucky, you may live long enough to get where I am now. And find that trying to live with half a deck as frustrating as I have have found it..

The changed behavior I have reported might be due to reinstalling a corrupted OS. That appears to have been a disaster. The machine no longer behaves as it did before the reinstall, and some important files seem to have disappeared. I am used to File, Edit, View, Go, Message, Tools, and Help. Which have been replaced by Send, Spelling, Attach, Security, and Save. That omits a lot of functions I have previously used. I imagine they have been hidden somewhere. I'm not very good at Easter egg hunts.

I believe I am using the latest Tb update. I am running W7 Pro on a custom machine, with a two core processor and plenty of Gigs of everything.

I know that there is a simple way to find which version I am using, but no a trace of memory of how to find it. And it ain't just email. I no longer remember half of what I once knew about computers. I wouldn't dare mess with the BIOS today.

I beg for patience. Not only assistance with what I have forgotten, but especially any ideas which might assist a dumber me to continue to use these things as long as I can.

I will be grateful for any suggestions you may offer.

I will provide any information you request, though I will likely need help finding it.

File, Edit, View etc is on the Menu Bar and is available in all windows. It is hidden in most new software including Thunderbird. It has been hidden in Thunderbird for several past versions. Pressing the alt key or the F10 key has revealed hidden Menu Bars since the beginning of Windows. If you want the Menu Bar to show all the time press the alt key and when the Menu bar appears select View-Toolbars and turn it on.

Send, Spelling, Attach etc are on the Composition Toolbar in a WRITE window only and have nothing to do with the Menu Bar.

To find the version you are using you look under the HELP menu and click ABOUT just like you do in every piece of software I have ever seen.

For several versions the menu is activated with the AppMEnu button. It is a button with 3 horizontal lines located on the right side of a toolbar. Personally I turn on the Menu Bar since it is what I am used to and it matches all documentation you generally find.

Is there any way to recover text on this system? It appears that I have lost the response I wrote to this.

PS Another problem is that the new version is blocking remote content on nearly every email I receive. I don't have that much time to waste. I need either to raise threshold for blocking or get rid of it altogether. How can I do this?