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Thread ID: 39441 2003-11-06 18:46:00 Off topic: Microsoft stuffs up ........... Again ilikelinux (1418) Press F1
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189778 2003-11-06 18:46:00 >>>>>>>>This is copyied strait from a web site .

Microsoft forgets to renew hotmail . co . uk domain
By Tim Richardson
Posted: 06/11/2003 at 11:02 GMT



Microsoft was busy covering up an almighty cock-up last night after forgetting to renew its hotmail . co . uk domain name .

Despite being warned that the domain for its popular Web mail service was up for renewal, it seems Microsoft - or whoever had the task of managing its hotmail . co . uk domain - overlooked this vital piece of administration .

As a result, last month Microsoft lost its claim to the domain and it was duly returned to the open market to be picked up by whomever fancied it

Luckily, the domain was snapped up on the same day - October 23 . The new owner - a good hearted soul - then proceeded immediately to contact Microsoft, inform the giant of its slip and arrange to hand back the domain .

However, Microsoft didn't want to know . Despite phone calls and emails - and being fobbed off by Microsoft drones - our man behind this public-spirited deed was completely blanked by the software empire .

Microsoft only took notice when The Register contacted the company yesterday afternoon to enquire why its hotmail . co . uk site was registered to a private individual .

It was then we were told that the matter was under investigation and being "escalated" . Worryingly, no one in the UK could deal with the matter so it was up to the US to sort things out .

Of course, while Microsoft's spinstresses tried to stall for time, the company was busy scurrying behind the scenes to sort out this embarrassing episode . It managed to contact hotmail . co . uk's new owner, grovel at their mistake and sort out the mess . By all accounts, hotmail . co . uk will be returned in a few days .

A spokeswoman for Nominet UK - the registry for all . uk domains - confirmed that hotmail . co . uk had failed to be renewed and was placed back into pool of available domains .

For Nominet's part, she confirmed that "all the standard renewal procedures were followed regarding hotmail . co . uk" .

"I would like to remind companies and their agents that it is their responsibility to renew their domains," she said .

Despite repeated attempts to seek comment from Microsoft, the software giant has failed to cobble together any form of statement that might shed light on this situation .

In December 1999, Microsoft forgot to renew the domain name Passport . com, and so rendered its Hotmail service partially crippled . A Linux programmer, Michael Chaney, paid the $35 fee and promptly handed over ownership to Microsoft . ®
ilikelinux (1418)
189779 2003-11-07 01:59:00 waht they didnt even bribe them!?!?!?!?!

more fool them. That would have been worth alot of money;\
hamstar (4)
189780 2003-11-07 02:39:00 if I get the chance I would have brought it for $35 and sold it to MS for a bit more, as a payment for my service and such like.
about $3.5M would be a nice fee :-)
robsonde (120)
189781 2003-11-07 03:10:00 Yea I woulda exchanged the domain for a nice hefty price. Sounds like those two guys gave the domain up for free. Stupid M$ lovers :p PoWa (203)
189782 2003-11-07 06:03:00 Looking for IT training courses?
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Baldy (26)
189783 2003-11-07 20:16:00 what is this in reply to?

>Looking for IT training courses?
>Teachme provides the most comprehensive list of IT training providers, courses, >schedules and course materials in New Zealand. Use Teachme's quick-and-easy >3-step method to find what you are interested in.
>Step 1: Search for or browse courses
>
>Step 2: Add your selections to shortlist
>
>Step 3: Go to course shortlist to print, email or request information
ilikelinux (1418)
189784 2003-11-07 23:45:00 > what is this in reply to?
>
> > Looking for IT training courses?
> > Teachme provides the most comprehensive list of IT
> training providers, courses, > schedules and course
> materials in New Zealand. Use Teachme's
> quick-and-easy > 3-step method to find what you are
> interested in.
> > Step 1: Search for or browse courses
> >
> > Step 2: Add your selections to shortlist
> >
> > Step 3: Go to course shortlist to print, email or
> request information

Heavens knows how that got on there, must be Windows playing up again
Baldy (26)
189785 2003-11-08 04:35:00 > Heavens knows how that got on there, must be Windows playing up again

Hmm... doing silly things because you are missing Pollly are you, Baldy? ;-) :D
Susan B (19)
189786 2003-11-08 05:55:00 Well the best thing you could do would be hand it back to them. Unless you actually had the funds to be able to standup against legal action from MS. -=JM=- (16)
189787 2003-11-08 08:26:00 If it was put into the public domain, then its up for grabs by anyone. You can't sue anyone for buying up a domain when its publicly available.

Although there is some kind of law I think which stops people buying up popular domain names like Fifa2004 etc and then auctioning them off for huge amounts of money.
PoWa (203)
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