09/21/2007, 7:10pm, EDT
Friday, September 21st
Microsoft apologizes, corrects .Mac issue
We previously reported that some users of Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger service have this week found themselves unable to connect. If a user with a "mac.com" e-mail address attempts to sign on to Messenger, the client software would display an error message, informing them that they need to change their address to resume service. We've now received word from Microsoft indicating that the issue was due to an internal error that has now been corrected, and users should no longer experience the problem.
Officials told MacNN on Friday that it recently became aware of an "internal error during routine testing that resulted in customers using .Mac domains being asked to change their e-mail address in order to access to their Windows Live IDs."
"A Windows Live ID is the sign-in and password that customers use to access Windows Live Messenger, Hotmail and other Microsoft online services," the company said in a statement. "Access to Live IDs has been restored to our customers who use .Mac domains. We regret any inconvenience this caused for our customers."
The service blockage appeared to be directly linked to Mac owners, as users with accounts from the likes of Gmail indicated no disruptions.
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The internal error was to redirect mac.com addresses to the bit-bucket (the equivalent of /dev/null on Windows, whatever it is).
I have a great solution to those wanting to use this service. Don't.
"I gather that you would like to change back the e-mail address that you use to sign in to MSN Messenger for Mac. I understand that you already tried to change yyy@hotmail.com back to xxx@mac.com but you saw no available option to do it on the Window Live ID page. You further added that you are not able to create a new account with your old e-mail address. I certainly understand your sentiment about this. Unfortunately, there is no option that would allow you to change an MSN Hotmail e-mail address to a non-Hotmail account. Or to put it straight, there is no option to change your yyy@hotmail.com back to xxx@mac.com.
If you would like to create a new account with your old e-mail address, then you have to wait another 90 days before you can register it again."
This is the second horrible experience I've had with Microsoft services in the past two weeks.
I know that some of their stuff is rather pervasive (Office, anyone?) but whenever possible i try to use the alternative. And not because I think M$ is the Evil Empire, but because experience has taught me that for all their genius, they farce everything up that they touch. All these great ideas and yet they can't seem to piece together a worthwhile experience of it.