Windows messenger misbehaving

As of today I can't sign in to Windows Messenger using my .NET passport - and I get the following message every time it fails:

Windows Live(TM) Messenger Service Staff says:
Important service announcement: Because of a recent system update, you must change the e-mail address that you use to sign in to Windows Live(TM) Messenger. Until you change your e-mail address, you won't be able to use Windows Live(TM) Messenger.

To change your e-mail address and find out more about this system update, go to http://support.microsoft.com/gp/Messenger/en

The url of course - doesn't even work!! And the email address at the top of the message ( messenger@microsoft.com ) bounces... Awesome stuff..

Apparently the issue is only affecting users whose passport account is registered to a yahoo.com email address (which mine is), and folks are speculating that it is a bug introduced by recent changes to add support for speaking to Yahoo contacts in MSN. No comment in the group from Microsoft as yet though - not that they ever do bother to respond in their newsgroups - they'd much rather you pay them £69 for an email response!

See usenet group microsoft.public.windowsxp.messenger for more details.

technorati tag: Windows Messenger MSN messenger bug