Explain MSN, Live, and Hotmail, please

Topic

New Reply

I am greatly confused by Microsoft’s varied and changing offers for email. When MS Live first launched, I signed up for it and received an email account that was also my “Windows Live ID.” Now when I use that ID to log in to Live.com, instead of an email interface, I get a page that has SkyDrive, messenger, and a bunch of other applications, as well as solicitations for a Hotmail account. It looks like the email reader comes via Hotmail, which I really don’t want to use.

It is getting confusing just to use my @live.com address. Can you help make some sense of what is going on with all of these different Microsoft email services?

Thanks,
Dave

Who is John Galt?

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 with Windows 10, MS Office. Samsung Galaxy S9+ with Android 10.

Reply | Quote

Replies

They are not different email services. They are just different names that Microsoft have used thorugh the years. Any Microsoft email address, whether MSN, Hotmail, or Live.com, should use the same interface now.

Can you post a screenshot of what you see when you login?

Joe

--Joe

Reply | Quote

When I go to Live.com I get this page:

When I log in I get to this page instead of a mail reader:

Thanks for your help.

Dave

Who is John Galt?

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 with Windows 10, MS Office. Samsung Galaxy S9+ with Android 10.

Reply | Quote

You do not even have to go to this web page if you don’t wish to. If you download Windows Live Mail (a part of Windows Live Essentials) you can use this mail client to sign onto all your email accounts in one place. Just as Thunderbird allows you to check all email accounts from one email client, so does Windows Live Mail. You just open the email clientt and all acccounts are checked. If you wish to send an email, you just choose which account to use. It is very simple and efficient. Check it out.

Reply | Quote

On the Login page, click the check box “Remember my password”. Then if you click the Hotmail link on any of the many places on an MSN site you’ll be logged in automatically.

Once you are logged in, click on “Options” under Hotmail Highlights. Than click on the check box “Show me my inbox when I sign in”. Save your change.

Joe

--Joe

Reply | Quote

Just go to your online e-mail via hotmail.com

Anyone who checks their Hotmail in Firefox can install the Webmail Ad Blocker add-on which removes the disgustingly-inconsiderate in-your-face flashing ad, and a whole bunch of other gumph (configurable). Also works with GMail, Hotmail and Google Calendar.

Asus N53SM & N53SN 64-bit laptops (Win7 Pro & Win10 Pro 64-bit multiboots), venerable HP Pavilion t760 32-bit desktop (XP & Win7 Pro multiboot), Oracle VirtualBox VM's: XP & Win7 32-bit, XP Mode, aged Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy Tab A 2019s (8" & 10.1"), Blu-ray burners, digital cameras, ext. HDDs (latest 5TB!), AnyDVD, Easeus ToDo Backup Home, Waterfox, more. Me: Aussie card-carrying Windows geek.

Reply | Quote