Elevator Pitch

• Microsoft has locked the account of a LibreOffice developer without clear explanation, exposing frustrating flaws in its account recovery process and raising concerns about arbitrary account bans.

Key Takeaways

• LibreOffice developer Mike Kaganski was banned from his Microsoft account after sending a routine technical email, and Microsoft's support and recovery processes proved unhelpful and circular.
• The incident highlights how Microsoft's automated systems can lock users out without clear justification, and how support channels often require the very access that has been revoked.
• Similar complaints from other users indicate a broader issue, with locked accounts sometimes leading to the loss of decades' worth of irreplaceable data.

Most Memorable Aspects

• The paradox of being required to sign in to contact support about a sign-in issue.
• Kaganski's description of Microsoft's IT competence as "miserably incompetent."
• The story of a user losing 30 years of photos and work due to a locked account and fruitless support appeals.

Direct Quotes

• “But first, please sign in to continue.”
• "Miserably incompetent in IT."
• "Mike's not the only person who's had their account locked recently, with seemingly no way to recover it."