WSJ.com - Microsoft Says Hotmail Problems Have Been Resolved

WSJ.com - Microsoft Says Hotmail Problems Have Been Resolved: "Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) said Friday that it had restored service by 5:15 p.m. EST (0115 GMT) to customers who had trouble accessing the company's Hotmail e-mail accounts.
The company said a 'significant portion' of people who use Hotmail and other Internet-based products had trouble accessing the services for several hours.
The company said it was an internal problem rather than an attack on its system. The problem began earlier Friday.
In addition to Hotmail, Microsoft said people were having difficulties accessing products such as company's MSN Messenger instant messaging program."

It faltered in bewildering ways, e.g., MSN Messenger popped up a message telling me I had been logged out because I logged in on another machine -- as it logged me in...