Thunderbird is a pr0ogram running on your computer. Not a web site. So really I have no idea what you even mean by a blank page. You install it, set it up with your mail account details and when you open it , it reaches out to your mail provider and gets your mail.

What is this blank screen?

I'm well aware of that - there's no need to sound so condescending. I was looking for a way to open without the "Choose what to set up" and "Import From another program" info - both of which are quite valid and useful, but not necessary to show every time the program is opened. If it's not possible, why not just say so, instead of just assuming that the user is an idiot?

Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information > Application Basics > Profiles > about:profiles. Launch the others one at a time and restart TB. If they all give the setup screen, try creating a new profile (https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-thunderbird-profiles).

Thanks for your very helpful suggestion Ed. I have several profiles in the account and after the rude and unhelpful response from Matt I tried a couple of things and found one way to get TB to open how I want was simply to leave a profile message screen open when I closed the app. That way it reopens there and I can just switch to the one I want, which is pretty close to the way WLM works. That's probably the same, or at least similar, to your suggestion and I'll have a look at that later tonight - it's been a long day :-) Appreciate your help.

> not necessary to show every time the program is opened.

It is part of the design to display the account creation dialog, in order to assist (most) users in this situation who will also tend to me new, to not have to guess what to do for initial configuration.

When you did the import process, did it not create an account, and then cause the new account creation to not display?

Thanks Wayne. Yes, I set up my primary personal account, completed the import, then followed the same process for another 9 accounts connected with business and creative activities. Very easy and straightforward. I certainly appreciate that displaying the setup dialog is essential for a new user to follow, but expected that once the process had been completed, opening the program would display a menu header above a blank message frame, perhaps showing the TB logo, rather than repeating the configuration dialog every time the app is opened (regardless of whether the checkbox had been ticked or left unticked). Anyway, it's no big deal, and it doesn't detract from the the fact that in every other way I'm finding TB suits my simple "send and receive email" needs much better than the bloated "bells and whistles" alternatives.

> option to open with a blank page is not working despite leaving the checkbox unchecked.

Sounds like you are describing the Start Page checkbox in Settings. (greater detail in your description will be helpful). Start page is what is shown in the message display pane.

Lacking the reference of a screen shot of your system, I'm guessing what you are seeing is what we call "Account Central". It is a hub of information and actions when an account is selected. It is displayed in the entire right side of the window where message list and message display pane are seen when a folder has been selected.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/getting-started-thunderbird-main-window-supernova describes the normal layout with folder selected.

Confused is how I felt by your statement. Insulted is how I feel by your response. I have lost interest in Thunderbird and I no longer get anything but angst from trying to support other users, so please you take it up the support because I think I am done.