Microsoft staff giggle beneath the weight of a 52,000-person Reply-All email storm
(2020/03/26)
- Reference: 1585262763
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/03/26/microsoft_reply_all_email_storm_52000/
- Source link:
Microsoft is right now groaning under the weight of a 52,000-person internal Reply-All email storm.
The Register understands this one started with a new offer from Microsoft’s internal store about discount software deals. While that offer was generous, it didn’t apply to all Microsoft staff everywhere, which prompted an early Reply-All message asking why not. And then the snowball started rolling, and nothing could stop it.
We understand the mail went throughout Microsoft – enterprise, cloud and even Xbox folks found it in their inboxes.
Our Microsoft sources tell us staff are now hitting Reply All for the sheer fun of it, posting frivolous messages that celebrate the ridiculousness of the situation.
The result is social media missives like this:
Currently experiencing one of my first company wide Reply All email threads.
The good, humor, “I too shall reply all to tell people not to reply all”.
The bad, Outlook notifications every five seconds.
The ugly, folks sharing pics of their doggos. — Benjamin Fischman (@benji_fischman) [1]March 26, 2020
And, of course, seeing as the email has gone viral, mentions of the global coronavirus pandemic are spreading too.
"If you’re going to reply all, at least include a meme." — Eden Marie (@neonepiphany) [2]March 26, 2020
Friend of The Register Adam Fowler even tweeted a possible fix:
Azure Information Protection can block the ability to reply all, it's an out of the box option from memory! — Adam Fowler (@AdamFowler_IT) [3]March 26, 2020
Our Microsoft sources say that while the mail storm is a hassle, it’s also a welcome distraction from the wholly-understandable-gloom many staff of the Seattle-based tech titan feel at this very trying time. ®
[1] https://twitter.com/benji_fischman/status/1243302892963954688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[2] https://twitter.com/neonepiphany/status/1243300015436492800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[3] https://twitter.com/AdamFowler_IT/status/1243300007807074304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The Register understands this one started with a new offer from Microsoft’s internal store about discount software deals. While that offer was generous, it didn’t apply to all Microsoft staff everywhere, which prompted an early Reply-All message asking why not. And then the snowball started rolling, and nothing could stop it.
We understand the mail went throughout Microsoft – enterprise, cloud and even Xbox folks found it in their inboxes.
Our Microsoft sources tell us staff are now hitting Reply All for the sheer fun of it, posting frivolous messages that celebrate the ridiculousness of the situation.
The result is social media missives like this:
Currently experiencing one of my first company wide Reply All email threads.
The good, humor, “I too shall reply all to tell people not to reply all”.
The bad, Outlook notifications every five seconds.
The ugly, folks sharing pics of their doggos. — Benjamin Fischman (@benji_fischman) [1]March 26, 2020
And, of course, seeing as the email has gone viral, mentions of the global coronavirus pandemic are spreading too.
"If you’re going to reply all, at least include a meme." — Eden Marie (@neonepiphany) [2]March 26, 2020
Friend of The Register Adam Fowler even tweeted a possible fix:
Azure Information Protection can block the ability to reply all, it's an out of the box option from memory! — Adam Fowler (@AdamFowler_IT) [3]March 26, 2020
Our Microsoft sources say that while the mail storm is a hassle, it’s also a welcome distraction from the wholly-understandable-gloom many staff of the Seattle-based tech titan feel at this very trying time. ®
[1] https://twitter.com/benji_fischman/status/1243302892963954688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[2] https://twitter.com/neonepiphany/status/1243300015436492800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[3] https://twitter.com/AdamFowler_IT/status/1243300007807074304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Bedlam!
MatthewSt
At least it doesn't melt their network anymore - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/exchange-team-blog/me-too/ba-p/610643
Sykowasp
I, for one, am glad that they are doing real world load testing on their enterprise software platforms.
Did Microsoft outsource its email to Gmail?
Anonymous Coward
Like most Universities (hence why the Feds home in on Chinese at US Universities)?
Is this a bad time to bring up the recent study about the carbon footprint of a single email?