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MSFT thanks Linux Programmer for paying $35 Fee
Quite a number of people have been writing recently in regards to the recent Hotmail outage. As we reported before, a Linux programmer wanted to get his mail - and paid the $35 fee to renew their domain registration. News.com has picked up the news story, complete with thanks from MSFT to Mr. Michael Chaney.
http://slashdot.org/comm ents.pl?sid=99/12/25/114201&cid=90
That's not the only thing a Linux programmer could fix over at Microsoft.
Sheepdot: Open Source good, Closed Source baaaaaaad!
yet another example of how helpful linux and other free software users/developers/admins can be compared to their windows counterparts.
would a windows person think to pay for linux.com's domain? (or other linux related domains)
Call me a cynic, but its got a lot less to do with "community spirit" and "helping out your fellow man" than it has to do with "Linux user helps out megacorp that Linux Users hate to get Front Page News and More Coverage for Linux"
Simon
Coming soon - pyrogyra
IMHO he did do something nice just for its own sake.
Give it a rest.
"Cause there's 40 different shades of black, so many fortresses and ways to attack, so why you complainin'?"
Payment received?
Remove dns entry.
That's probably how it happened, except it probably involved a little more code than that, and it was probably a little more complex. (Hehe i think I just called that 3 line thing code...)
Restating the obvious since nineteen aught five.
a Linux programmer save a Microsoft service running BSD... The world is smaller that you realize
If memory serves me right, when M$ came down and helped out apple, the "community" response was bloody M$, don't stick your wallet where it isn't wanted. Now... when a linux person does it for M$, the response is "Look, we saved megacorp from drowning, aren't we swell". Irony?
-I just work here... how am I supposed to know?
that because a Linux user paid for the domain that it now be called GNU/Hotmail, because while Hotmail is the operational part, without GNU it would not be complete.
I don't know. To be honest, having read his original post (he posted to /. when he paid the thing), I think it was more done to be funny. Why not? They're dumbasses, it's only 35 bucks, hell - I'd have paid for it if I'd been in that position. Would've been funny. *grin*
Yes, it was a nice thing to do, simple as that. It was also very amusing. And made for an amusing conversation on slashdot when he did it, and again later (though I don't think he could have realized that he would get actual _press_ for that).
Having done it, I would also be wondering if they could pay more than 35 bucks. He isn't asking for it, he isn't pushing for it even. He commented that it would be nice, but he seems to understand that it isn't likely, especially knowing the greed in ms. So? Seems like just another average joe to me, who happened to notice the problem and do something about it, and get amused by his own actions. Nothing major, and certainly not greedy.
A greedy person would have tried to transfer ownership, or something like that. I see no indication that he even considered that, it seems more like a 'heh, I fixed their screwup for em, too bad they can't fix themselves' sort of thing.
-Elthia
Why is there such need to gloat about Microsft's mistakes? Does pointing them out make Linux or whatever operating system you use better?
In the end, Chaney did a good turn and set a good example. Enough said.
I consult for a large telecom company that hosts thousands of domains so I get to see a good sample of the problem people have with Network Solutions. Generally speaking they send out plenty of notice before putting a domain on hold. [Hey, don't get me wrong, I really hate dealing with Network Solutions, but generally the problems I have with them are getting updates done.]
I've seen one other case where a large ISP neglected to pay for an important domain. In that case it was simply that those responible for paying where not techies (because in large organizations techies don't pay the bills, the finance department does) and considered a US$35 bill unimportant; they willfully neglected to pay. I suspect the same thing happened with passport.com. I'd bet that some accountant recieved the invoice but couldn't find anyone who could tell him who "network solutions" is and said to himself, "Well, I'm not going to pay a $35 invoice that I can't account for."
I've seen many cases with small organizations where domains didn't get paid for because the accountant was expecting an invoice for "InterNIC" and didn't know that "Network Solutions" was the Internet (in days gone by there were the same organization).
Specifically, you will note that the Billing Contact for PASSPORT.COM is a person.
Billing Contact: Gudmundson, Carolyn (CG6635) carolyng@MICROSOFT.COM +1 (425) 882-8080 (FAX) +1 (425) 936-7329
Now, compare that to most other domains used by M$oft. It is often the case, that people that are part of big business FORGET that there are some very tedious details on the InterNET.
Microsoft-Internic Billing Issues (MDB-ORG) msnbill@MICROSOFT.COM 425 882 8080
This is the proper use of a ROLE. A sure fire way to screw something up is to let a SINGLE person be a Billing Contact. By far the best practice is to use a ROLE that has a email address that gets sent to several people. Since you never know who might be on a vacation or might blow away their inbox.
So I would recommend that Microsoft go here: http://www.networksolutions.co m/makechanges/reports/
Actually, a good natured Linux user could probably do this as well for them. :) All you need it the information contained in the whois lookup.
The reason this is important is that Gudmundson, Carolyn (CG6635) carolyng@MICROSOFT.COM probably hasn't paid many other things as well. Why? This person might not even WORK for microsoft now...
Think this can't happen? Think again. Her manager should have known or someone should have known but apparently nobody did or there was a billing error/oversite. Oh, but wait... what if her manager is gone TOO???
Repeat again: Think it can't happen? Thing again.
When you use a domain name make sure you put a TEAM in charge with a leader vs. a single point of failure. Even a rank newbie working for an ISP knows this much. I expect that Gudmundson, Carolyn (CG6635) carolyng@MICROSOFT.COM was on vacation or called in rich[sick].
Aren't you glad you don't work in this persons office?
http://www.mp3.com/fudge/
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