I think outlook.com is broken.

http://downdetector.com/status/outlook/map/

Hello Zenos, First, thank you very much for kindly replying. Much appreciated. I looked at the map and it appears that most of Western Europe has been affected. Strange considering that Microsoft rules the universe! What I don't understand is that... 1) If I visit Outlook, I can access that mail account. Why not through TB? 2) I have 8 Outlook accounts and all* are downloading fine through TB... just not that one. I have checked and double-checked the password and am confident that I am entering it correctly. 3) I have another mail server thing - the one on my iPad - and it gets the emails fine.

• I notice that another one has just started refusing the password when going through TB... but, again, can be accessed by going directly to Outlook.

I don't really want to switch to gmail or the like. They scan all one's emails and, since, for professional reasons, I have to write about t*******m and the like, I don't want a knock on my door! It's all rather confusing... well, to me, it is!

Different servers. There is an htttp server for webmail, and pop, imap and smtp servers for email clients. Possibly yet another set for the "app" users with their phones and tablets.

Being able to login via webmail is valuable in checking that you know your current login and its password. That doesn't mean that some extra layer of security or server reconfiguration won't get in the way of an email client connecting up. Yahoo and Google have jumped on this bandwagon, with such tricks as two-factor authentication, application specific passwords and OAuth2. My own outlook.com/office365 account seems to require frequent and apparently needless password changes. though my own hotmail account just ticks along without any fuss. Go figure.

Microsoft were quite open about selling on our data and browsing habits when Windows 10 came out. I don't see them as intrinsically any less secure or invasive than Google right now.

You should look at s/mime or gpg if you're concerned about your message content being inspected en route.

Hello Zenos,

Thank you for your most generous time and knowledge... a true sign of a hospitable and kindly person (i.e. Zenos).

Gosh! What a tangled web... I'll go back to using carrier pigeons!

I shall study your website carefully. It's very clearly written. Even Luddites can rejoice in its clarity.

Thank you, again.

Best wishes.