They f'd up 11 days since Microsoft f'd up
Decided 0.5 Vistas Walked back well documented Mar 19, 2001 their #27 worst decided on record

HailStorm: Microsoft politely asked to hold everyone's wallet

.NET My Services proposed centralizing consumers' personal data on Microsoft servers

↳ caused by .NET My Services (HailStorm) announcement

One of only 20 things they have ever fully walked back.

The market's verdict: +2.8% on MSFT in the week after.

Status: Walked back. Who could have seen this coming?

What actually happened

Announced on March 19, 2001 under the code name HailStorm, .NET My Services was a plan to store your calendar, contacts, wallet and documents on Microsoft's servers behind a Passport login, for a subscription fee. The pitch landed mid-antitrust-trial, an unusual moment to ask the public for custody of literally all of their information. Partners stayed away, privacy regulators objected loudly, and by April 2002 the whole scheme had been shelved before a single consumer used it. The underlying idea, one company quietly holding everyone's data, was simply ahead of its time.

This one is well documented.

They did it more than once

Later, again: Windows now screenshots everything you do. For you. Definitely for you. (May 2024)

One company quietly holding all your data was simply ahead of its time, twice.

Links

↳ caused by .NET My Services (HailStorm) announcement

Timeline

  • Mar 19, 2001 Announced Microsoft announced it.
  • Apr 11, 2002 Walked back Reported shelved before consumer launch.