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Testing Is For Mortals (10/31/01)
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Here's a quickie that illustrates the classic attention to detail that Microsoft applies to all of its products, which accounts for the zillions of copies of Windows XP that the company has already sold following that operating system's glowing reviews. If you're a Hotmail user (oops-- we mean "MSN Hotmail"), then you may already know this first-hand, but faithful viewer Kevin McKaig informs us that the Redmond Giant recently "upgraded" its free email service and, in the process, rendered Hotmail completely incompatible with the Mac versions of its Outlook Express and Entourage email software. Oops.
MacUser has a few more details on the unintentional lockout, which reportedly arose following the installation of "additional security with [Microsoft's] Passport authentication system." Wow, that is secure. If the company can just prevent access by Windows users as well, they'll really be in front of the pack. With a little more work, perhaps Microsoft can offer the first email system that's so secure, nobody can access it. (We sense a big, fat government contract heading Bill's way.)
Anyway, a fix is allegedly in the works, and in the meantime, Mac users are encouraged to access their Hotmail accounts via the Web instead of through their actual email client software. The bit that has us giggling, however, is the email message that Microsoft sent out to some users who reported problems, which includes this doozy of a line: "Despite our best testing efforts, a recent Hotmail upgrade has resulted in an authentication error for customers using Hotmail through Macintosh Outlook Express."
"Best testing efforts?" They didn't even test the service with their own freakin' products! That's supposed to be the best they can do? Actually... that explains a lot. Never mind.
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SceneLink (3366)
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 | | The above scene was taken from the 10/31/01 episode: October 31, 2001: iDVD 2 is finally here, and the no-download-provided upgrade costs $19.95 "shipping and handling." Meanwhile, Apple fends off multiple class action suits alleging stock manipulation last year, and Microsoft's "best testing efforts" fail to prevent its Hotmail service from ceasing to work with its own email software...
Other scenes from that episode: 3364: It's All About The Handling (10/31/01) Cheese and rice, not this again... Okay, so last weekend we were messing around with iDVD on one of the Quicksilvers at the new Apple retail store when we noticed that Apple still hadn't shipped the heavily-hyped iDVD 2... 3365: Three Suits, No Waiting (10/31/01) You probably thought that Apple's legal department has been getting a mite bored lately, huh? After all, we're long past the hustle and bustle of the iMac knockoff lawsuits, the billion-dollar Imatec suit crashed and burned over a year and a half ago, and even the threats of legal action against misappropriations of the Aqua look and feel have quieted down of late...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
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