Microsoft KB Archive/185416

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Frequently Asked Questions About Hotmail

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Q185416

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The information in this article applies to:


 * The Microsoft Network versions 1.3, 2.0, 2.5

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SUMMARY
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
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
 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.  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" Q. How can Hotmail offer free e-mail service?

A. Hotmail is advertiser-supported. 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. 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. 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. 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
 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.</li> 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.</li>  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: "[MAILTO:support@hotmail.com support@hotmail.com]"</li></ol>

Hotmail and Microsoft Messaging

 * 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.
 * 1) Q. How is Hotmail different than the Outlook Web Access (OWA) feature in Microsoft Exchange Server?

A. The Hotmail client is a full-featured, Web-based, Internet e-mail client that you can use with any Internet mail service to send and receive e-mail messages. OWA is not a full-featured messaging client, and it can only be used with Microsoft Exchange Server.

Hotmail and MSN, The Microsoft Network
 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.</li> 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.</li> 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.</li>  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. <pre class="FIXEDTEXT">        MSN Premier                          Hotmail -

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 </li> 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.</li> 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.</li> 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.</li></ol>

Additional query words: 1.20 msnet microsoft-net hot-mail

Keywords : kbref kbmsn

Issue type : kbinfo

Technology : kbMSNSearch kbMSN200 kbMSN130 kbMSN250