Microsoft outage sparks worker memes as email returns

Millions of workers lost access to email and core tools during a Microsoft outage that began Thursday and persisted into Friday, disrupting the workweek for many globally. Microsoft said it had "significantly reduced" the email delivery backlog by Friday morning and found no evidence of malicious activity. In response, users shared memes on social media, joking about using smoke signals, handwritten letters, and even "Lord of the Rings" beacons as backup communication methods. Some workers celebrated the quiet Friday, while Gmail users expressed envy. The outage also sparked nostalgia for Microsoft's retired Clippy assistant, though with issues declining as the US workday started, the meme-making may soon end.