How to suppress repeating password prompts and scope pre-emption?

E

Eric Lewis

Outlook (2003,2007, perhaps other versions also) has an absolutely enraging
feature seemingly devised to intentionallly cause major distress and anguish
on the parts of its users, to wit:
Whenever an email account provider computer decides the account has been
open too long and requests a new logon, (ATT/Yahoo) or an account was never
able to log on in the first place (bad password) a window periodically pops
up and the keyboard entry goes directly into the password field with no
warning.

I am often typing an email etc. and find that the previous paragraph of
text, some of it quite precious and difficult to repeat, has been entered
into a password field in this rogue popup window and has been translated into
a string of "*"s. I can see no possible reason for this to occur except to
intentionally enrage the Outlook user. I desperately desire to turn this
feature OFF!!!

I don't want to stop using Outlook but it appears that the same sadist who
did this bit of mischief in earlier versions of Outlook continues to reak his
vile ways on newer versions of Outlook as well. At this very moment I am
trying to update a new computer for my mother and she is unable to recall
just what the string of "*********" is for one of her email accounts and so
Outlook is unable to log on to that particular account. Fine, no problem, I
am working to get this password and this account is of minimal importance
anyway. But meanwhile as I try to type this plea for mercy, the rogue popup
has interrupted my typing six times. It is one thing to launch a warning of
some sort but to change the scope by automatically redirecting the active
page to this popup is a really terrible thing to do to Microsoft's customers.


Consider this: the popup does contain the previously input password as
designated by *****. So why would the scope be directed to the pre-filled
password field if it is directed anywhere? This always results in the
pre-filled password being corrupted by unintentional typing and this often
leads to bigger problems.

A far better approach would be to lock the entire input and chime the
traditional gong that signifies a locked machine. This is what other Windows
applications do. Then at least the pre-filled password won't be corrupted
and the precious paragraphs won't be lost for all time. I would prefer to
leave the warning to a blinking task bar item or some other far less
intrusive means of notification.

This has to be the most diabolical customer punishment device in Microsoft's
repertoire. By the way, I am a huge fan of UAC on Vista and am sticking with
the Vista default UAC settings on Win7. Notification is a good thing.

But that is just my opinion.
 
D

DL

Neither Outlook or any ISP has a feature that logs you off.
If you are getting a popup requiring you to enter the account password then
something is up with your outlook initial configuration.
 
E

Eric Lewis

There is nothing wrong with my Outlook setup. All accounts work fine when
Outlook is launched. After awhile online one particular email account pops
up with a login request but it does connect and send and recieve email, no
problem. I suspect their email server has "issues". (also an ISP is not
the same as an email provider) This behaviour persists through two computer
upgrades on my desktop, a clean install upgrade to Vista, and a fresh install
on a new laptop.

Your reply completely misses my point. The problem is not the popup, the
problem is what the popup unnecessarily does i.e change scope with NO WARNING
and direct keystrokes to an already filled in password field. Imbecilic, in
my opinion. I cannot fathom what sort of twisted insight the designer of
this "feature" had to come up with this. However, if anyone can offer an
intelligible explanation for why I need this ... go for it please.
 
D

DL

If outlook is set to poll for mail every xx minutes, and that particular
account is initially functioning correctly, then subsequently the mail
password box activates, its because either your outlook Profile is corrupt
or you have a third party add in, eg Anti Virus software or sync software
interfering with Outlook. Although if only a single account is affected then
it could be a problem with that mail provider, in which case disable that
account from being included in your auto mail poll.
Try starting outlook using the safe switch and see if the problem is
replicated.
 

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