There is no official download yet. The Raindrop code is still under development but you can follow along via the code repository. Please see the Hacking page.
What is the timeline/roadmap for Raindrop?
Raindrop is still a very young experiment. It has working code, but it is not in a state for normal users to use yet. It is a developer preview, and while we have specific design goals for the project, we are looking for initial community feedback. We have also started evolving a roadmap.
Thunderbird is useful today to millions of people, and is a great email client. There is a fresh and powerful version 3 of Thunderbird. Raindrop is an experiment that uses open web technologies to explore the broader messaging space. For instance, what would it mean to have a messaging experience that was usable both on your desktop and on your phone? Are there new types of interactions that a browser-based messaging application can provide? Some ideas that are explored in Raindrop may feed back into Thunderbird’s active development.
How does Raindrop relate to activity streams/life streams?
Activity/life streams are generally focused on non-email messages and generally do not try to filter out the important things for you. Also, while those streams do not use email for the actual messages, they still rely on email to communicate with you for some types of information. Raindrop includes email, and is focused on bubbling up the important things from all of your messages. Raindrop is open source with an extension module that gives you more control over the experience.
How does Raindrop relate to Google Wave?
Google Wave is attempting to create a new form of messaging. We applaud their effort to innovate in the messaging space, and if it gains traction, we will be looking at ways to integrate the messaging protocols from Wave into the open, extensible user interface of the Raindrop platform. In the meantime, Raindrop is focusing on complementing existing messaging sources.
I already use Gmail, and I think it is great! Why use Raindrop for my Gmail mail?
Gmail has done an awesome job making email more usable. Raindrop would like to take it further by trying to break out of an email-centric view of messaging, and provide a user-extensible platform so users have complete freedom to customize their experience.
