Microsoft Outlook It’s pathetic software on Earth as well as in space.
NASA’s Artemis II mission launched this week and will take a manned US spacecraft around the moon for the first time in fifty years. The mission was designed to test new technology and prepare future missions to actually land on the Moon itself, but some of the ground technology also underwent an unexpected test along the way.
Yes… In case anyone is wondering, Microsoft is still working in the space. pic.twitter.com/vf5b0lQgc7April 2, 2026
Indeed, Microsoft split the Outlook client on Windows into several different versions, disappointingly called Outlook on my computer, Outlook (PWA) and Outlook (Classic). The classic version is the native OG app with POP3 and IMAP features you might remember from the 90s. The latest versions are progressive web apps and very weak.
Recently my colleague Zac Bowden placed The video below shows how long it takes for Microsoft Outlook to open an email from a notification. Frankly, I didn’t even know you could open an email from a notification, my guess was that it just didn’t work – I never even bothered to wait for it to time out.
I can’t believe it still takes so long for Outlook on Windows to display an email when you select it from a notification. This is INFURIATING! pic.twitter.com/8VsxttyOfVApril 2, 2026
Microsoft Outlook is a large part of Microsoft’s productivity suite and has been around in various forms and variations for many decades. The latest iteration ditched much of the functionality and speed of its UWP native predecessor, opting instead for a sluggish web-based version that rarely works as advertised. Mobile versions are full of useless AI Features on the consumer side, too, as part of Microsoft’s broader casual push to find ways to make AI worth using.
There are many reasons why Outlook failed in the space, which may not necessarily be Outlook’s fault, but it’s a comical glimpse into the broader reputation Microsoft’s software suite has earned for itself: Outlook should be better than it is.
with Microsoft’s focus now returns to quality in Windows 11Will Outlook and other notorious Windows built-ins get the shine they deserve? Only time will tell. By then, perhaps the exchange with NASA will be over Gmail instead of.
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