Hotmail/MSN Messenger Question

[betwilm]

I was wondering if, when you set up a Hotmail, or MSN messenger acount, it was exclusive to one computer. So if I signed up on one computer, would that computer receive the e-mails, or would any machine with my name logged on to it? What I mean is, when I sign in on one computer, will that be receiving e-mails even if I'm not logged on?

[j2buttonsw]

Hotmail is a web based email account: by default no messages are download to anywhere, they are just held on the Microsoft server. The beauty of this system is that you can access your Hotmail email on any internet connected computer without any configuration. In your absence, the emails are still delivered to your Hotmail mailbox. I am not sure about MSN messenger but I think that is configured differently and messages are downloaded onto the My Documents folder of your local computer.

[betwilm]

But is it free? I heard you have to pay �19.99 a year to send e-mails, and I don't like paying...

[j2buttonsw]

The basic Hotmail is free but you are restricted to 2MB of server space. This is usually fine especially as you can forward your mail (if you wish) to another email account (ie the email account you opened with your ISP). However, if people send you emails with large attachments it will soon fill up. If you pay you get more server space (10 MB) plus some other extras. The worse thing about Hotmail is it is very susceptible to spam. It is almost like they give out your Hotmail email address to spammers. There are filters you can use to block it but it is the pain of having to configure it. Also, as it is so popular, you may not get the name you would really like. Fortunately, there are not too many j2buttonsws out there.

[mikewith]

The free Hotmail account is large enough as long as you are good at deleting old stuff, or forwarding it ssomewhere else, as suggested. The 'free account' button is quite hard to find when you're registering.. they *really* want your money!... but thereafter it is pretty straightforward.

Messenger is useful but, unlike Hotmail, you *do* need to download the software to each individual computer. Thereafter, you can Message to your heart's content.

[j2buttonsw]

Thanks Mike for clearing up the MSN grey area.