Hotmail Goof Spooks MSN Subscribers

By Nate Mook | Published November 17, 2004, 9:14 PM

Microsoft is apologizing to MSN subscribers after accidentally sending them a test message with incomprehensible text that was meant to remain internal. Users encountered the notice after logging in to Hotmail following a system upgrade that boosted user storage space.

The seemingly random message worried some MSN users who feared their e-mail accounts may have been compromised, but Microsoft was quick to quell any speculation.

"This afternoon, some MSN subscribers signing in to Hotmail may have encountered a test page that was inadvertently posted to the service," a Microsoft spokesperson told BetaNews. "MSN has removed the page and Hotmail is functioning as usual. Anyone who encountered the page could click "continue" to go directly to their Hotmail inbox."

The message to users read: "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this lBurger? Now thats a fire! Ice cream!"

"The test page posted as result of an inadvertent action by MSN. The text on the test page was irreverent and was not meant for posting, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our customers," the spokesperson added.

Comments

View comments by with a score of at least

Looks like they goofed up on that one. I find it humorous that this happened. Shouldn't be anything to worry about. I always delete those messages from MSN before reading them anyway.

Score: 0

|

yuk uk

Score: 0

|

Copyright infringement anyone?

Score: 0

|

Now the MF's have blocked access to hotmail via Outlook. It now requires you to pay for it. What a joke in the time of massive free storage hotmail is still only 2MB now without access via outlook to move the messages it’s useless ! I thought I remember a statement from Microsoft saying they had many new improvements coming to stop people moving to Google and Yahoo? Well this one did the opposite I now opened a Yahoo account and get free Outlook access and 100MB storage !

Score: 0

|

Most users get 250 Mb storage in November, like i have now :-)

Score: 0

|

LOL. Microsoft is trying to get back what is stolen from them and they just keep blewing it up. Wait till gmail goes public, that will probably be the downfall of hotmail. I was recently invited to gmail and i noticed imediatly that it's much better and faster than hotmail.

Score: 0

|

I'd also like to switch to Yahoo as my primary address, if you can in fact use Outlook Express for free.

How does a person set that up? Yahoo provides to docs on this.

Dan

Score: 0

|

check out http://www.bluebottle.com
It has 250MB inbox, supports POP/SMTP, awesome method of spam blocking - similar to earthlink's spam blocking if you are familiar with them. Also, no ads on your e-mail webpages, no ads in outgoing e-mail.

Also try Mozilla Thunderbird as an alternative to MicroShaft Outlook. http://www.mozilla.org

Score: 0

|

'A pivot from war to peace:' The AMD + Intel armistice, in their own words

An extraordinary day in technology history is recognized by two long-time rivals that mutually decided it's futile to fight anyplace else except the marketplace.

PS3, Xbox to soon get Twitter, Facebook integration

Both Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3 will integrate with Facebook in the near future.

Windows Marketplace for Mobile now available in browser, iTunes' App Store still not

You can now check out what Windows Marketplace for Mobile has to offer without a Windows Phone.

Microsoft damage control after marketer claims Win7 inspired by Mac

Have you ever said anything you wish you could take back? Ever? No? Not even once? Well then, you won't sympathize with a mid-level Microsoft manager today.

Blockbuster's way down, but poised for a comeback

Though it took a serious beating in 2009, Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes says the company can turn it around.

iTunes Preview deson't go far enough to create Web-based option for store

Apple has rolled out iTunes Preview, a Web interface for browsing iTunes.

PDC 2009 Preview: The move to Office 2010 and Visual Studio 2010

The major focus of Microsoft's conference next week will likely be explaining why two pillars of its software sales strategy deserve to remain where they are.

Dell's first smartphone aids the Android onslaught

Longtime PC leader Dell has finally announced its Android-based smarphone.

After the Intel + AMD armistice: Do we really want a level playing field?

Scott Fulton On Point: One by one, the reasons for us to continue suspending the course toward open and fair competition in IT, are dropping like flies.

FLO TV launches pocketable, smartphone-like TVs

Qualcomm's FLO TV Personal Television made by HTC launches in retail today.

Google acquires Gizmo5, builds IP telephony portfolio

Google Voice today confirmed rumors that it would acquire IP telephony company Gizmo5