Ballmer just called and said your joke violated several of Microsoft's patents and you are to cease and desist immediately.
"Ahem, excuse me...I hope your lawyers are ready..."
Posted on 04/22/2008 3:18:42 PM PDT by ConservativeStLouisGuy
Dear Microsoft Outlook Express customer,
Thank you for using Microsoft® Outlook® Express. Our information indicates that you use Outlook Express to access a Windows Live™ Hotmail® e-mail account via a protocol called DAV (Distributed Authoring and Versioning protocol). DAV, like POP3 or IMAP, is the way that a mail client communicates with a web-based mail server.
As a valued customer, we want to provide advanced notice that as of June 30, 2008, Microsoft is disabling the DAV protocol and you will no longer be able to access your Hotmail Inbox via Outlook Express. As an alternative, we recommend that you download Windows Live Mail, a free desktop e-mail client that has the familiarity of Outlook Express and much more. This next generation of free e-mail software will allow you to easily manage multiple e-mail accounts—including Windows Live Hotmail, plus other e-mail accounts that support POP3/IMAP. Better yet, Windows Live Mail integrates well with other Windows Live services, and downloads in minutes. After you provide your user name and password, you will automatically be linked to your Hotmail account, providing continued access to your email and contacts.
We encourage you to download Windows Live Mail at http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview.
And, to make your transition smoother, we've provided answers to frequently asked questions below.
Again, thank you for your use of Outlook Express and we are confident that you'll be just as delighted with the new Windows Live Mail.
Your Windows Live Mail team
Frequently asked questions:
Why are we disabling DAV?
DAV is a legacy protocol that is not well suited for client access to large inboxes. Over time, as we've provided more e-mail storage to our users—and now offer 5GB inboxes for free—a more efficient access protocol is needed.
What are we replacing DAV with?
We have developed a new, much more efficient protocol called DeltaSynch that is far superior to DAV especially for large e-mail inboxes. It enables email clients to only download changes since the last time the client polled the email server for changes. This is much more efficient and high performing than having to download all the headers in every folder as is the case with DAV.
Is DeltaSynch compatible with Outlook Express?
The new protocol unfortunately is NOT supported by Outlook Express and support would require too many changes to the Outlook Express software.
Is there a different or new mail client I can try that uses DeltaSynch?
Microsoft is providing Windows Live Mail, a free e-mail client that has the familiarity of Outlook Express and much more. This free, next generation email client enables users to easily manage multiple e-mail accounts including Windows Live Hotmail and other e-mail accounts that support POP3/IMAP. Windows Live Mail also integrates well with other Windows Live services, is optimized to work with Windows Live Hotmail, and offers:
Where can I download the new Windows Live Mail client?
You can download the new client at http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview.
Microsoft respects your privacy. To learn more, please read our online Privacy Statement.
Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052
I received the email too. I’m happy with Outlook Express. I tried Microsoft Outlook & did not not like it - went back to Outlook Express. Outlook Express has worked great for me, with all of the different email addresses I have, including Hotmail. I don’t like having to change over to another program just to accomodate Hotmail - I don’t use it that much. I don’t think I’ll change to Windows Live Mail - I’ll just go to the Microsoft site to check my Hotmail.
The links in your post don’t point to the places the links say they do, so I wonder if this was a Phishing attempt. As for Hotmail changing - unsurprising. Likely the Live Mail tool has some method to display advertising so they can turn it into a money earner.
I just tried out the links and they were all legitimate...
Thank® you® for® using® Microsoft® Outlook® Express®. Microsoft® Corporation® has® trademarked® all® words®. You® are® to® cease® using® them® or® pay® royalties®, including® back® royalties®.
Outlook Express is a favoured tool of spammers and virus writers as an avenue to collect info from your computer and as a way to attack it. You’re better off not using it anyways.
I’m curious, have you tried the new Live client before you discounted it?
What about other alternatives in the marketplace? Thunderbird for example.
No, I haven’t tried it yet (and haven’t yet discounted it — was wondering if other FReepers are currently using the new service and what their impressions are of it).
This was also discussed on this thread, yesterday:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2005071/posts
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Ballmer just called and said your joke violated several of Microsoft's patents and you are to cease and desist immediately.
Ballmer just called and said your joke violated several of Microsoft's patents and you are to cease and desist immediately.
"Ahem, excuse me...I hope your lawyers are ready..."
Plus you can add extensions to Thunderbird...just like Firefox...that will add features to make the client much more robust. Like the AutoCopy extension. Great stuff.
PLUS....and here's the big thing; Have you ever tried going through the process of backing up your messages, address book and all other user data with OE? Hah! If it weren't a nightmare, it'd be a joke.
With Thunderbird...just like Firefox...you simply backup your profile directory. Done.
Seriously....dump Outlook Express. It is Swiss Cheese security-wise and is less than a fully functional email client.
One last bit: Thunderbird also "learns" on the fly. It will see email that you delete as junk and will keep track of domains that send the stuff and automatically move them to the trash bin in the future.
Fear not. Thunderbird looks very much like OE. All the familiar stuff is in all the same places and the UI has the same basic look.
I also had a very comfortable relationship with OE but when I found out how full of holes it was I started looking. When I had to do a Disaster Recovery of my personal data and settings with OE, I cursed it to hell and switched to Eudora. When I wound up hating the Eudora interface, I switched to Thunderbird. Now I'm in love again. It is rock solid, dependable, easy to use and reminds me of Oulook Express, my old girlfr....er, I mean mail client.
Hey, just give it a try. You can use both at the same time. All you'll have to deal with is a pop up window asking if you'd like to make one or the other your default client. Once you try TBird, you'll be hooked.
G'head, g'head....take a little taste. You'll like it.
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