No matter what MS call it
It is still Hotmail, just with a silly skin.
Gone pretty pants since it changed.
Hotmail Outlook services are down for some users and have been for most of today, although it's unclear what the issue is. While many users have taken to Twitter to complain that they can't access their emails, others have said they have been able to access the service, suggesting that the problems hasn't spread worldwide. …
Glad you got some upvotes for that. Have another one.
For all the "are you still using [crap]mail??" below, an old personal email adress actually has value. Yes, maybe I should have started reading the Reg a long time ago and learned to use multiple emails, but I didn't. So it sucks a bit.
But I love the fact MS has to pander to us oldies and provide a "transfer" programme. I will type in "www.hotmail.com" till I pop. Screw their brand transfer.
Set it up YEARS ago before I had an ISP. My internet access was VERY naughty. Our ISDN work ISP did not check originating number, so I used that, free internet, but high line rental (paid by work). My boss did too.
Now have ISP account, a hotmail, a work, and personals on my own domains.
The hotmail was the easiest web account to use.
Been speaking to Microsoft Support about this.
The reason is DNS issues;
Microsoft engineers are troubleshooting DNS servers to mitigate the issue affecting some users ability to connect using the Outlook client. Meanwhile the switching of DNS provider continues to be a viable workaround. Next update will be provided at 3:00 PM UTC.
11 Jul 2013 12:46 Service interruption Microsoft exchange engineers have confirmed that the O365 Exchange service is healthy at this time. We believe that the issue is caused by a faulty external DNS. Customers are reporting that switching DNS provider is resolving the issue. Customers currently experiencing problems connecting to the service can try to switch to another DNS provider such as OpenDNS(208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220) or Dnsadvantage(156.154.70.1 and 156.154.71.1). Next update will be provided at 2:00 PM UTC.
Microsoft network engineers are continuing to troubleshoot DNS servers to mitigate the issue affecting some users ability to connect using the Outlook client. Meanwhile the switching of DNS provider might be a viable workaround and Outlook Web Access continues to work without issue. Next update will be provided at 4:00 PM UTC.
Hurrah...
Service restored for Exchange users... apparently.
Maybe others, too? Hurrah for DNS
Closure Summary: On Thursday, July 11, 2013 at approximately 8:14 AM UTC, Microsoft received reports of an issue where some users served from the European region were unable to access Exchange Online through the Outlook client. Investigation determined a Domain Name System (DNS) caused impact. Microsoft engineers made a configuration change to restore service. The issue was successfully fixed on Thursday, July 11, 2013 at 3:00 PM UTC. A complete post-incident report will be available on the Service Health Dashboard within five business days.
It works better than gmail most of the time. (At least it supports exchange activesync. Gmail was fairly equivalent before they deliberately gimped it both the web interface and apps for gmail are a waste of time for me. In a literal sense as they seem to go by the reading is hard and people cannot do it mentality).
The web interface to outlook.com is so much better. (Right click works with what you need on it).
You lose ability to see clear. Google had no choice but to dump that active sync stuff to preempt a patent lawsuit from their friends in Redmond. Active sync related patents helped Microsoft extort a lot of money from every Android distributor.
What I said does not contradict in any way your arguments. Google didn't want to pay so they dumped it which is fair enough in my opinion.
Now speaking about invention, software is mathematics and as far as I am aware, even in the US of A mathematics are (not yet) a patentable matter.
In the US of A found on planet Earth (Sol 3), software is patented more than anything else. Along with business processes and plenty of "bloody obvious to someone with a vague idea of the Art".
Your USA sounds much better than the one that actually exists. Shame.
I guess others are having issues, but, after 17 years now I think it is, I cant remember the last time my account had down time that lasted for more than a few hours, are the people who are stressing out perhaps using their hotmail/outlook accounts as a business email? If it's your personal email, don't stress, the sun is shining, get outside and find a beer garden!
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And I put it down to an enormous DNS entry.
All the people affected were remote users using their routers as DNS - BT routers. Changing to another DNS provider worked fine. Guess which is easiest to remember ? (no not 195.40.0.250 - she stopped taking public requests and then changed her name to NS1)
Affected 8 of our Office365 customers yesterday.
Originally reported at 0845, was 'fixed' by MS apparently at 1710.
I wouldn't be surprised if someone in Microsoft updated their DNS entries incorrectly knowing the amount of unreported 'maintenance' they've done to the system recently and then had to roll back.
The fact that MS blamed Google just seems like a cover to me of their own mistakes.
I've been one of the first users of hotmail/outlook and have always felt it was as insecure as it could be. I might work on Microsoft systems, play on a Microsoft console and walk around with a winphone, that doesn't mean i trust Microsoft, more the opposite in fact. my hotmail box is my spambox.
I've always expected at least someone to be reading along, it made sense to think that way.
They managed to enormously screw up the service for many southern Oregon users about ten years ago with their miraculous transformation to Whatever Live etc. I permanently lost an e-mail address I'd had for years then and simply couldn't get it back, with an enormous dither of "we'll fix that for you" at places from forums to (believe it or not) Microsoft itself. I have a G-mail account or three now. I might even have a Yahoo! account. You know what? 'cause I'm me--I CAN'T GET A HOTMAIL/OUTLOOK/WHATEVER ACCOUNT. Which would be enormously frustrating except that I find it hysterically funny.