Microsoft makes Worst Web Site List

Everyone likes a good news story right? Ok I´m showing my distaste for Micro$oft here but when two of their web sites rank in PC Week´s 25 worst web sites I have to crow a little...

The two sites in question are Hotmail and Windows Update. With fairly good reason. From the article:

Hotmail
In the mid to late nineties, Hotmail was a virtual Switzerland for spammers, who operated with impunity across the free e-mail service. Hotmail account holders were routinely buried in a blizzard of junk--in part because new subscribers were automatically added to a public directory of e-mail addresses, making them easy pickings for spam harvesters. A massive "dictionary attack" on the site´s user base in August 2002 didn´t help matters. Later that year Microsoft finally began implementing serious antispam measures, but by then many subscribers had already had their fill of canned luncheon meat.

Windows Update
Microsoft could have escaped our notice if we didn´t have to visit this cryptic and difficult-to-use site so often. It´s the only reason to ever use Internet Explorer--and then simply because Microsoft´s update site won´t work with any other browser. But it´s not reason enough.

PS: If you´re wondering About what other browsers they are referring to - Check my recent notes About Firefox.

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