Recap: The developers of LibreOffice, a free and open-source alternative to Microsoft Office, have repeatedly criticized Microsoft's proprietary software policies over the past few months. Although a recent incident involving Microsoft and a LibreOffice developer has no known connection to the rivalry, it could spark further criticism of the Windows provider.
When LibreOffice developer Mike Kaganski attempted to send an email to the productivity suite's developer mailing list using a Hotmail address this week, he discovered that his Microsoft account had been locked without explanation.
A notification claimed that he had violated Microsoft's service agreement, and Kaganski invited readers to determine what content in his email could have justified the account ban.
Contacting Microsoft Support and submitting an appeal became unnecessarily complicated. Attempts to verify his account using his phone failed, as Microsoft recommended verification methods that did not exist. Worse still, contacting a representative required logging into an account that was no longer accessible.
When Kaganski finally reached support and filed a ticket for an appeal form using his wife's account, the system repeated the same instructions and closed the ticket.
Editor's Note: At TechSpot, we recently found ourselves facing a familiar issue when attempting to recover a Hotmail account – an experience strikingly similar to that of the LibreOffice developer. Despite several attempts to use a secondary email address and SMS-based two-factor authentication, we were met with an endless loop of 404 errors and broken pages. Other recovery methods proved equally frustrating, offering little more than dead ends. The whole process, which should be straightforward, was far from the seamless experience you would expect from one of the world's largest tech companies. Our takeaway is clear: the issue faced by LibreOffice isn't a rare, isolated incident. Instead, it points to a broader problem with Hotmail – one that suggests the service has been left in a state of neglect, with a password system that pushes for passkeys while the recovery process is entirely broken.
At the very least, the incident reflects poorly on Microsoft's customer service. Throughout the ordeal, Kaganski never learned why his Hotmail account was locked. This issue could also encourage LibreOffice developers to continue their anti-Microsoft rhetoric.
Last year, Microsoft's decision to shift Microsoft 365's document support to OpenDocument 1.4 raised concerns about hindering interoperability with LibreOffice. Earlier this month, LibreOffice developers also criticized Microsoft's XML schema for similar reasons, accusing the company of trying to lock users into Microsoft Office and 365.
In April, LibreOffice developers praised the decision by the German state of Schleswig-Holstein to replace Windows with Linux and Microsoft Office with LibreOffice on government PCs. The move reduces the state's dependence on a foreign tech giant and saves taxpayer money that was previously spent on licensing fees.
Although Schleswig-Holstein had been planning to ditch Windows since 2021, Microsoft's decision to end official support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, likely accelerated the transition.
Windows 11 adoption has accelerated in recent months, but the operating system's system requirements will leave millions of functioning Windows 10 devices ineligible for an upgrade. In response, LibreOffice has begun supporting a campaign to convince users to follow Schleswig-Holstein's example.
Surprisingly, Kaganski does not plan to abandon Windows in the foreseeable future. He stated that expertise with the world's most popular operating system is still valuable in the IT sector.
Microsoft suddenly bans LibreOffice developer's email account, blocks appeal
