Stinkin' Money Grubbin' Microsoft

Grrrrrr! So, this morning, with no warning (at least none that I received in my email inbox), my free Microsoft MSN account decided to fail the download to either Outlook Express or Outlook. The reason? Microsoft has decided they don't have enough money so they now REQUIRE a paying account in order to use Outlook or Outlook Express to download your mail.

I've had a free hotmail account for years. For a couple of years, I had a "pay" MSN account for Internet Access (was able to get a deal on it as an MS Employee). However, I canceled the pay account and just kept the email address on a free basis.

I prefer to download my email to an email client such as Outlook or Outlook Express so that I have a 'hard copy' on my computer that I can reference without having to hit the Internet and drudge through the klunky interface.

Now, not only can I not access my mail when I'm not connected to the Internet, but I also am forced to use the annoying web interface (which means I get to see whatever cheesy ads they decide to stick at the top of the screen).

Yes, I admit that a company is in business to make money. But it seems to me that this tactic isn't going to make them any extra money. Sure, there might be a couple of people who decide to go and sign up for Microsoft Internet access or (worse yet) to pay the ridiculous 'mail only' fee so that they can get their mail delivered to Outlook (yet another Microsoft program). But I suspect that most will just do what I'm doing...they'll transition away from their MSN account and over to Gmail or some other free account that still lets you access your mail via an email client rather than being forced to hit it all via the web.