Google mail filters (and somewhat less "searches") are very inflexible.
  For example, do not allow for any punctuation in string matches.

Seems fine to use Thunderbird filters.
Only constraint is that the filters won't run on messages that you have
already "read" with a different client.
Gmail web mail may run and show the heard, and a Tbird filter may still
process it (possibly resulting in a dup), but just don't read it in web mail.

"Send canned response" filter"
That checkbox is entirely and silently incompatible with "Delete it".
There is NO WAY to not save the incoming emails.
Closest you can get is to check: "SKip the In..." + "Never send..' + "Send can".

Users can not see their own Nicknames.
When sending with an alternate Sender addr, the regular addr is shown by
 Thunderbird as "Sender" (a.o.t. "From") even with defaults.

Contacts vs. Groups
Groups appear to be normal mailing lists.


Google Groups and User-managed group
ROLES (can have multiple of any):
    Owner   Owner privileges may not be narrowed.
            Only Owners, not Admins, may assign Managers.
            CAREFUL to always have an owner assigned to every group.
             The interface does not enforce this, but it gets flakey if you
             don't.
    Manager (user-manager groups ONLY!)  Can't del grp or make another owner.
            Manager privileges may be narrowed.
            Managers (generally at least) may hire and remove other managers
            (but not owners).
            To hire a manager, must subscribe them as a regular member first.
    Member  (recipient)
Groups have "owners" and "members".  I guess manager just means the
 Google Apps admin?
User-managed Groups is an add-on that allows for more delegated admin.
Groups only appear under All Contacts after that user sends to the group.
Notification emails for sign-ups are only sent when signing up with the
 user-named Groups interface (with the notify button checked by default).

Contacts and Domain shared contacts
Domain shared contacts is beta and doesn't even have a web management UI yet.

Enabling Google Labs  (critical for Canned Messages at least)
For Google Apps, enable in Email Servie Settings
  "enable gmail labs for my user".
For std ed. " Enable pre-release features".


IMAP MAIL MIGRATION
http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=61369#B
CONNECTION
    For server type, choose Other.
    imap directory must be precisely what is in Tbird.  Therefore can only
    specify one user at a time with "Specify a few user accounts".
    SSL
    !!! CAREFUL:  Make list of ALL possibly duplicating folders!
    Add exclude directories Trash, SpamControl, Sent
If were to use CSV file, the format would be like:
    username,source username,source password
    blaine,blaine,tmpwd
(see my file "imapxfer.csv").
Notice no domain for either Google nor source user name.
Need to know the source account passwords but not the Google passwords.
MIGRATION HISTORY:  Note that meter on the main Migration History page shows
the extraction stage progress.  It takes a lot longer for the insertion part
to complete.


Chat badge URL:
https://www.google.com/talk/service/a/africaaction.org/badge/New

And a badget text:
<iframe src="http://www.google.com/talk/service/badge/Show?tk=z01q6amlqndbhcob0lee7vugrb96md6ufgtngeonohthiilkrpj7the2nui0g0rmo31lc1cgoec4v3rsr9r2559jb7u804o9aoqie8hg7b2252c9voosnl0js8ffgmvo3e3hj3o0n3spb7g96pc17n0t1i97j5u20r29uc21q&amp;w=200&amp;h=60" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="60" width="200"></iframe>

Email aliases hidden at
Log into apps google acount
Users
Select the user
User details link in User information section
Pencil icon to modify/add/delete