Q185416: Frequently Asked Questions About Hotmail
Article: Q185416
Product(s): The Microsoft Network
Version(s): 5.1,5.2,5.3,5.4,6.0,6.1
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s): kbref kbmsnkbfaq
Last Modified: 08-MAY-2002
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The information in this article applies to:
- The Microsoft Network Version 7.0
- The Microsoft Network Version 5.5
- The Microsoft Network Version 5.6
- The Microsoft Network versions 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 6.0, 6.1
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SUMMARY
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This article lists frequently asked questions about Hotmail. Microsoft acquired
Hotmail on December 31, 1997. Hotmail continues to operate in Sunnyvale,
California as a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft.
MORE INFORMATION
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The frequently asked questions are arranged in the following sections:
- Hotmail Service
- Microsoft's Acquisition of Hotmail
- Hotmail and Microsoft Messaging
- Hotmail and MSN, The Microsoft Network
Hotmail Service
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1. Q. Can I use my current Web browser to gain access to my Hotmail account?
A. You can use any Web browser to gain access to your Hotmail account. For
best results when you read your messages, we recommend that you use a Web
browser that supports frames.
2. Q. What are the advantages of using Hotmail?
A. Hotmail is a free, high-quality e-mail service that lets you gain access to
your permanent Hotmail e-mail account and up to three other Internet e-mail
accounts from any computer with an Internet connection. The Hotmail e-mail
client offers password protection, instant mail delivery, a personal address
book, a spelling checker, and message filtering. Hotmail also supports file
attachments and Web content in e-mail messages. A Hotmail address does not
depend on your Internet service provider (ISP), geographic location, or place
of employment. You can change your ISP or job, or move to a different
country, and still access your Hotmail account from any Web-connected device.
You can access your Hotmail account from a public Internet terminal or Web
kiosk, so you do not even need to own a computer or ISP account to use
Hotmail.
To sign up for a Hotmail account, visit the following Hotmail Web site:
http://www.hotmail.com
3. Q. How can Hotmail offer free e-mail service?
A. Hotmail is advertiser-supported.
4. Q. Do many Hotmail members have more than one account?
A. While it is not difficult to sign up for more than one Hotmail account, it
is not practical to maintain more than one account for business use and one
account for personal use. Only a very small fraction of Hotmail members have
more than one Hotmail account.
5. Q. How does Hotmail protect member privacy?
A. Both Hotmail and Microsoft have strict guidelines to protect the privacy of
Hotmail members. Hotmail does not examine messages or screen content in
member accounts, and it does not provide private member information to third
parties. Hotmail uses only the demographic information it gathers about
members to target advertisements.
6. Q. How does Hotmail protect members from abusive e-mail messages or
unsolicited commercial e-mail messages (spam)?
A. Hotmail has a staff dedicated to preventing abusive e-mail, chain letters,
and spam. This staff maintains a list of known sources of abusive e-mail
messages and spam, and blocks the delivery of all incoming e-mail messages
from those sources. You can also use your Hotmail account's Block Sender
feature to maintain a personal list of return addresses that you want to
block. Hotmail members are encouraged to forward any questionable messages
they receive to abuse@hotmail.com or support@hotmail.com.
Hotmail is a leading advocate of anti-spam measures in the e-mail industry,
and is actively involved in CAUCE, the Coalition Against Unsolicited
Commercial E-mail.
7. Q. How does Hotmail discourage members from sending spam?
A. Hotmail has a very strong No Spamming policy. If a member sends an
excessive amount of unsolicited e-mail messages, chain letters, or abusive
e-mail messages, Hotmail may immediately terminate their account.
Currently, less than one half of one percent of spam messages with a Hotmail
return address are from actual Hotmail accounts. Most spam messages with a
Hotmail return address are sent by people who enter a false return address in
the e-mail message. Hotmail is developing software to authenticate Hotmail
messages and prevent people from forging Hotmail return addresses.
Microsoft's Acquisition of Hotmail
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1. Q. Why did Microsoft purchase Hotmail?
A. Microsoft is committed to making it easier for people to communicate over
the Internet from any location in the world.
Because Hotmail already had the necessary large-scale server and messaging
technology in place, it made more sense to buy Hotmail than to spend the time
and resources necessary to develop similar technology.
2. Q. How does Microsoft plan to change Hotmail?
A. Microsoft's goal is to provide consumers with the best combination of free
and premium e-mail services by combining the benefits of Hotmail with
Microsoft messaging technology. Hotmail continues to operate with the same
name, user interface, Web address, and support options. Hotmail and Microsoft
plan to work together to expand the Hotmail e-mail service and quickly
introduce new Hotmail features. Planned new Hotmail features include secure
password authentication to allow MSN Premier members to use a Hotmail account
to check their MSN e-mail messages from any Web browser and notification in
MSN Program Viewer when you receive new Hotmail messages. Other planned
changes include the integration of Microsoft and Hotmail messaging technology
and the migration of Hotmail's mail servers to Microsoft Windows NT Server.
3. Q. If I need technical support on a Hotmail issue, do I contact Hotmail or
Microsoft?
A. Hotmail continues to provide technical support at the following e-mail
address:
support@hotmail.com
Hotmail and Microsoft Messaging
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1. Q. How does the Hotmail e-mail client compare to Microsoft's other messaging
programs?
A. Hotmail complements Microsoft's existing family of e-mail and collaboration
clients. The Hotmail e-mail client is ideal for students and travelers, as
well as people who do not own a computer.
Microsoft Outlook Express is the messaging client for home and small business
users who need both online and offline access to their Internet mail and
newsgroup messages. Microsoft Outlook 98 is the client of choice for users
who want to integrate Internet e-mail or other messaging services with the
personal information management and collaboration capabilities that are
required by many corporate users. Microsoft Exchange Server is the only
e-mail and collaboration server to embrace Internet standards and extend rich
messaging and communication to businesses of all sizes.
2. Q. How is Hotmail different than the Outlook Web Access (OWA) feature in
Microsoft Exchange Server?
A. The Hotmail client is a Web-based, Internet e-mail client that you can use
with any Internet mail service to send and receive e-mail messages. OWA is a
Web-based messaging and personal information manager (PIM) client that can
only be used with Microsoft Exchange Server.
Hotmail and MSN, The Microsoft Network
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1. Q. How is Microsoft integrating Hotmail with MSN?
A. Hotmail is an important component of The Microsoft Network of online
communication and information services that Microsoft offers free of charge
to all Internet users.
Microsoft plans to add message notification for Hotmail to MSN Program Viewer
and MSN QuickView, and Hotmail plans to add secure password authentication to
its Web-based e-mail client so that MSN Premier members can use Hotmail to
check their MSN e-mail from any Web browser.
2. Q. How is Microsoft integrating Hotmail with other free Microsoft or MSN
online services?
A. You can connect to Hotmail from the home page of a free Microsoft Web site
by placing your pointer over Microsoft Network, and then clicking Hotmail.
To connect to Hotmail from the home page of a free MSN Web site, click Hotmail
in the The Microsoft Network box.
To connect to the home page of a free Microsoft or MSN Web site from Hotmail,
click the site you want in the The Microsoft Network box on the Hotmail home
page.
3. Q. Does Microsoft plan to replace the current MSN Premier e-mail service with
Hotmail?
A. MSN does not plan to replace MSN Premier e-mail service with Hotmail.
Microsoft's goal is to provide consumers with the best combination of free
and premium e-mail services by combining the benefits of Hotmail with
Microsoft services and technology.
Hotmail provides a convenient e-mail service for free-tier MSN customers who
do not have an MSN e-mail account as well as for MSN Premier customers who
want a second e-mail address.
4. Q. How does Hotmail differ from MSN Premier e-mail?
A. The following table lists the differences between the Hotmail and MSN
Premier e-mail services.
MSN Premier Hotmail
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Uses Outlook Express Uses Web-based e-mail client
Integrated login for all MSN sites Separate login
New mail notification No new mail notification
Store messages offline Limited online message store
Requires MSN Premier membership Does not require MSN account
5. Q. Can I use Hotmail to gain access to my MSN Premier e-mail account?
A. At this time, you cannot use Hotmail to gain access to your MSN Premier
e-mail account. MSN uses secure password authentication to encrypt your POP3
e-mail password. This currently prevents Hotmail from accessing MSN Premier
POP accounts. Microsoft and Hotmail plan to add this feature to Hotmail.
6. Q. Are there any compatibility issues between Hotmail features and MSN
features?
A. Microsoft and Hotmail are currently working to resolve an issue between the
Express Notification feature in Hotmail and the Friends Online feature in
MSN.
7. Q. Now that MSN is offering free e-mail with Hotmail, what are the reasons
for joining MSN Premier?
A. In addition to the free services MSN offers to the public, MSN Premier
members get the benefits of Internet access, exclusive MSN content,
integrated password authentication, desktop navigation, superior e-mail,
online community and forums, and Friends Online.
Additional query words: 1.20 msnet microsoft-net hot-mail
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Keywords : kbref kbmsn kbfaq
Technology : kbMSNSearch kbMSN600 kbMSN610 kbMSN520 kbMSN530 kbMSN510 kbMSN550 kbMSN560 kbMSN540 kbMSN700
Version : :5.1,5.2,5.3,5.4,6.0,6.1
Issue type : kbinfo
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