Actually you are correct, MS is now charging to access Hotmail from Outlook
and Outlook Express. What follows is a short cut and past from Woody's:
There's an important change to Microsoft's Hotmail service coming which will
effect people who use Hotmail with Outlook or Outlook Express.

Outlook 2002 or 2003 and Outlook Express have a feature to let you receive
and send email via your Hotmail account but using the software interface
instead of the usual web browser method.  This is a handy way to store past
messages offline or to compose long messages.  Setting it up is fairly easy,
just create a new email account in the software and choose the 'HTTP' or
Hotmail option. Though it is labeled 'HTTP' in the software it actually uses
an extension of the web protocol called WebDAV to communicate with the
Hotmail servers.

From now on, only paid subscribers will be able to access their Hotmail
accounts via Outlook or Outlook Express.  Microsoft says that WebDAV
features have been abused by spammers and they need to clamp down on access.

Brad Loomis
San Miguel, CA

-----Original Message-----


No, this means their mail servers are down for what ever reason. The
Hotmail web interface is reporting "Server too busy" messages which are
extremely unusual  You will have to keep trying, until they get them
working correctly again. Keep in mind, that with a free account MS has no
responsibility, to you, to maintain your database. If the server gets
wiped, and they can't restore it easily from a backup, then good luck
getting your stored email back. Something to consider if this is your
primary address. Especially so once the new 250 megabyte storage space
takes effect.

Rode
The NOSPIN Group
http://freepctech.com


At 10:56 PM 9/29/2004, you wrote:

>For the past six years, I have had a free hotmail account which I have
>accessed through Outlook Explorer (I have Windows 98SE).
>Tonight when I went into OE, I received the following message:
>"Unable to poll for new messages on your HTTP server.  Account: 'Hotmail',
>Server: 'http://services.msn.com/svcs/hotmail/httpmail.asp', Protocol:
>HTTPMail, Server Response: 'Access to Hotmail via Outlook and Outlook
>Express now requires a subscription. Please sign up at
><http://upgrade.msn.com'>http://upgrade.msn.com', Port: 0, Secure(SSL):
>No, Error Number: 0x80004005".

              The NOSPIN Group is now accepting donatations
              to continue providing PCSOFT and our website.
           Visit http://freepctech.com to donate using Paypal