Cable Forum - [Merged] Microsoft cuts pop access to free hotmail

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Paul K

27-09-2004 13:11

[Merged] Microsoft cuts pop access to free hotmail

Anyone else read this?

Quote:

dwergs says:

On September 27th, new and existing free Hotmail customers who have not set-up their accounts to access Hotmail from Outlook or Outlook Express will no longer have access to this feature. Please note there is no change for subscription customers, both those with Primary or Secondary accounts.

This change in an effort to help protect you from junk e-mail. (Note: If you have a free Hotmail account and you have already set up Hotmail to download to Outlook or Outlook Express, you can continue to use this feature.) Junk mail distributors (spammers) have been known to exploit MSN Hotmail accounts through Outlook and Outlook Express to send unwanted messages. By making this feature available only as part of a subscription service, MSN can more effectively help protect consumers. Requiring customers to provide billing information will help MSN to limit the amount of unsolicited e-mail that MSN members and others receive. If you currently have a free Hotmail account and you want to configure Hotmail to download to Outlook or Outlook Express, you can upgrade to MSN Hotmail Plus or MSN Premium. Both of these paid subscription services support this feature."

source : mess.be ([Reported by: detn8r])

homealone

27-09-2004 13:35

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

I'm not sure if this is an attempt to get more people signed up to the subscription services, before they implement the increased storage for the free accounts :erm:

- I have to say i have never had problems with spam in my hotmail a/c, in fact their spam filter is good enough that I forward one of my ntl addys to it ;)

bob_a_builder

27-09-2004 13:39

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

before they implement the increased storage for the free accounts

Already implemented AFAIK, my free account shows 250MB totals space

homealone

27-09-2004 13:48

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob_a_builder

Already implemented AFAIK, my free account shows 250MB totals space

ah right - thanks for that, I'll have a look when I get home :tu: :)

Chris

27-09-2004 13:51

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

Anyone else read this?

A blatant attempt to get more people to pay for their Hotmail. Previously, the extra storage space was their key selling point, but they can't really push it like that any more, thanks to Gooooooogle. :D

Stuart

27-09-2004 14:45

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

Either that, or they are trying to get Spammers to pay..

nffc	27-09-2004 15:29

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

You can bypass it in MrPostman and other POP programs anyway.

Paul K

27-09-2004 19:34

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob_a_builder

Already implemented AFAIK, my free account shows 250MB totals space

Only a small percentage of the accounts have been given the free upgrade so far, it might be a while before all Hotmail accounts see the increase in storage. I know mines still the basic ammount as is my partners.

MadGamer

27-09-2004 20:11

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob_a_builder

Already implemented AFAIK, my free account shows 250MB totals space

Mine still shows 2mb

Macca371

27-09-2004 20:14

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

I actually don't know why hotmail did .POP3 in the first place, they can't advertise in this way because the hotmail site is bypassed so I don't see where their profit is :confused: Not complaining though, I always access my hotmail account via Outlook Express.

MadGamer

27-09-2004 20:16

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diamond

It wont affect us Hotmail users though will it? Hotmail use HTTP in Outlook and Outlook Express.

Paul K

27-09-2004 20:20

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne A

It wont affect us Hotmail users though will it? Hotmail use HTTP in Outlook and Outlook Express.

Nope, if you read the post it doesn't impact existing hotmail users that already have Outlook or Outlook Express set up to collect their hotmail ;) It will only impact new users or hotmail users that have yet to set up Outlook or Outlook Express.

Paul K

27-09-2004 20:31

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Just found this posted on Neowin.

Quote:

Citing concerns about spammers abusing the service, Microsoft will announce today that the company is dropping a feature from its Hotmail service that lets nonpaying customers access their Hotmail email from Microsoft Office Outlook and Outlook Express.
The feature is based on a technology called Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV), an extension of the HTTP protocol on which the Web is based.
"Since we implemented Human Interactive Proof (HIP) to ensure that only humans and not automated systems were opening Hotmail accounts, spammers have found other ways to go after the system," MSN Lead Product Manager Brooke Richardson told me in a prebriefing Friday. "Recently, there's been an increase in exploits of the WebDAV protocol, which is used to enable people to access Hotmail from Outlook and Outlook Express. We've offered [this access] for free for some time, although it's typically a feature that other email providers charge for. But because of the rise in abuse of this protocol, we're making a change to WebDAV to curb abuse. Over the next few months, we're transitioning WebDAV to be available only to customers of our subscription services, such as Hotmail Extra Storage and MSN Premium. We expect this change will help us to more effectively stop spam emanating from Hotmail."
Richardson said that only a small percentage of free Hotmail account holders use the WebDAV feature. "About 5 to 10 percent of people have it set up," she said, "but most don't use it. And among that group, most activated it once, then never used it again. About 95 percent of our users don't use the feature." Richardson was also careful to note that this change doesn't mean that Microsoft is walking away from its nonpaying users. "We continue to invest heavily in Hotmail," she said. "We've recently instituted antivirus scanning and cleaning and brought back the [free] MSN Calendar. And we're
actively moving free customers to the new storage allotments we announced earlier this summer." Richardson said that the company will upgrade storage allotments for all free Hotmail accounts by the end of the year. Microsoft has already upgraded paying customers, such as those who opted for Hotmail Extra Storage, she said. Microsoft won't immediately shut off nonpaying users who have enabled Outlook or Outlook Express access to Hotmail. Instead, the
company will phase out those customers over several months and give them plenty of warning that the change is coming.
"Free Hotmail customers who want to use WebDAV have two choices," Richardson said. "They can opt for Hotmail Plus, which offers 2GB of storage space and 20MB attachments for just $19.95 a year. Or they can subscribe to MSN Premium." Microsoft will continue to enable WebDAV for customers of
both products, she said.

So in the long term it will affect all Hotmail users but in the short term hotmail users that currently have Outlook or Outlook Express to access Hotmail will still be able to access Hotmail this way. By the time they phase it out there will no doubt be others there to take Hotmails place ;)

TigaSefi

27-09-2004 20:43

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Mine 250Mb but i had mine for nearly 10 years now......

homealone

27-09-2004 20:48

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

Just found this posted on Neowin.

So in the long term it will affect all Hotmail users but in the short term hotmail users that currently have Outlook or Outlook Express to access Hotmail will still be able to access Hotmail this way. By the time they phase it out there will no doubt be others there to take Hotmails place ;)

thanks for that, Paul, I hadn't realised they will turn it off for everyone :(

(smiley aimed at them, not you btw :) )

Just as an idle thought, how will it effect programs like mailwasher?

- I'm still on 2MB storage ;)

MadGamer

27-09-2004 22:44

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

Originally Posted by homealone

I'm still on 2MB storage ;)

So am i. I find it strange that some are on 250mb though.

Chris

27-09-2004 22:45

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne A

So am i. I find it strange that some are on 250mb though.

You got gmail yet? There are plenty of spare invites around here, I have a few ... if you want space, I got it ;)

MadGamer

27-09-2004 22:50

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

You got gmail yet? There are plenty of spare invites around here, I have a few ... if you want space, I got it ;)

Yeah i have got one. Ive got 6 invites that i cant shift.

Stuart

27-09-2004 23:18

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne A

So am i. I find it strange that some are on 250mb though.

I suspect the reason is that Hotmail runs on a cluster of servers, and Microsoft are upgrading the servers one-by-one so that hopefully,if one should fail, the remaining servers will take the load.

That's the way I'd do an upgrade like this..

nffc	27-09-2004 23:18

Re: Microsoft cuts pop access to new hotmail accounts

If anyone cares, Mr Postman (google for it) can act as a POP3 to HTTP bridge enabling hotmail to be checked in ANY email client and not just OE6.

Works well with Mozilla!

samuelnw53

01-10-2004 08:19

MSN (or Hotmail) to charge ?

just read in computer active mag that MSN are going to charge for using it through Outlook from next April for existing users and now for new ones,

SOSAGES

01-10-2004 08:30

Re: msn?

u sure u dont mean hotmail? if so its about time u dont get any adverts through outlook so they lose money.

Electrolyte01

01-10-2004 08:40

Re: msn?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOSAGES

u sure u dont mean hotmail? if so its about time u dont get any adverts through outlook so they lose money.

What adverts? When I used hotmail VIA OutLook I didn't get a single advert.

nffc	01-10-2004 09:02

Re: msn?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott

What adverts? When I used hotmail VIA OutLook I didn't get a single advert.

If you go via the hotmail website you get ads but if you go through OE or outlook you don't.

Why not just use MrPostman?

SOSAGES

01-10-2004 09:15

Re: msn?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott

What adverts? When I used hotmail VIA OutLook I didn't get a single advert.

Thats my point ...as much as MS gets a buzz out of hosting your email it would be nice if they could cover some of the costs

samuelnw53

01-10-2004 10:51

Re: msn?

According to the report in computeractive mag ,it is to stop spam in Hotmail.

SOSAGES

01-10-2004 11:50

Re: msn?

that can only be a good thing

Electrolyte01

01-10-2004 11:54

Re: msn?

Quote:

Originally Posted by samuelnw53

According to the report in computeractive mag ,it is to stop spam in Hotmail.

Spam should be filtered for free any way. If it isn't it's a crap email provider.

ian@huth

01-10-2004 11:57

Re: msn?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott

Spam should be filtered for free any way. If it isn't it's a crap email provider.

You calling NTL crap? :D :D

Electrolyte01

01-10-2004 12:00

Re: msn?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ianathuth

You calling NTL crap? :D :D

I think you should know that any way :D

SMHarman

01-10-2004 12:26

Re: msn?

Quote:

Originally Posted by samuelnw53

According to the report in computeractive mag ,it is to stop spam in Hotmail.

No, to stop people setting up a hotmail account and then using the smtp capabilities to send spam out quickly, rather than the more manual process of sending it through the http link.
By charging, even micropayments, they have full address details of the account user so know where to go to find them when they spam.

MadGamer

01-10-2004 15:49

Re: msn?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMHarman

So were not going to be charged for using it then.

Chris

01-10-2004 15:57

Re: [Merged] Microsoft cuts pop access to free hotmail

Merged with the existing thread on this subject. :)

Strzelecki

18-11-2004 10:08

Re: [Merged] Microsoft cuts pop access to free hotmail

Ok so if it's new accounts that are being stopped why is mine? I've had my hotmail account for over 4 years now so not really a 'new' user! It's just the hassle of having to transfer everything I signed up to etc. with my hotmail account over to another one of my email addresses. My outlook also checks my girlfriends hotmail and hers isn't blocked. I suppose I could just setup hotmail to forward to my private address and then still read it in outlook or whatever. Oh and I did do a search before I setup the other thread!
Oh seems GetMail is blocked so now fowarding to another address.

Maggy

18-11-2004 16:54

Re: [Merged] Microsoft cuts pop access to free hotmail

This is what Lycos did with their email service.Then POP access was reinstated for PAYING customers. :erm:

Paul K

18-11-2004 20:29

Re: [Merged] Microsoft cuts pop access to free hotmail

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strzelecki

Join the club, I've been on hotmail for years and now I'm blocked. I know why though, I recently re-installed windows and that's cleared the original information so now hotmail thinks I've only just set up outlook express to access it :( Oh well, can still access it from the web interface I suppose.

homealone

18-11-2004 20:57

Re: [Merged] Microsoft cuts pop access to free hotmail

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

The easiest way, for me, is via the MSN toolbar - anyone know when a firefox version will be out ;) :D

presumably you have no forwarding, either, then? :dunce:

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