# Hotmail **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 16, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974 "2003-01-16T14:59:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/1 "2003-01-16T14:59:31Z")
[At least I’m not the only one.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=156706) I can’t get into my hotmail account, and I don’t know why. I am absolutely desperate to use it, because I need to send someone a resume from that account, and I’m completely losing my shit over it. I haven’t been able to get in since last night and I’m very unhappy about it. Now there are some people here who _live_ for OP’s like this. If you are one for whom there would be no greater joy in life than reminding me that hotmail is free and “you get what you pay for” with a putz smiley at the end, then consider yourself acknowledged and told to fuck off. I _know_ it’s free, I just think that since this is a service people have come to depend on, it would be nice if there was a little blurb on [msn.com](http://msn.com) that said “We’re aware of the hotmail problem, and we’re working on it.” So far, I have seen no such thing. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/2 "2003-01-16T15:04:36Z")
I just checked my hotmail account about an hour ago and it worked fine. You know, I’ve never had a problem with hotmail - I usually have access and I almost never get spam. Just lucky I guess. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/3 "2003-01-16T15:16:51Z")
Okay, I just checked it again, and I’m able to get to my inbox for the first time since last night. I don’t know if that means the problem is fixed permanently, but I’ve calmed down a little. I hardly ever have problems with hotmail either. I just flipped out because I actually need it now. I think the thing that fixed it was my posting here. The Straight Dope has magical powers. Either that or my blood sacrifice to Legba. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/4 "2003-01-16T15:19:36Z")
Hotmail has several servers and my account can work fine when yours is unavailable. ---
**Author:** ![Mac\_Guffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/5 "2003-01-16T15:45:35Z")
Oh yay. Hotmail is back. Now I can go delete 39 more stupid spam e-mails. Yay. I would not cry if it went away. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/6 "2003-01-16T16:31:28Z")
You can always set the **Junk Mail Filter** or create a **Safe List**. It’s in **Options**. I rarely get junk in Hotmail, though sometimes I can’t access it for an hour or two. My NetZero acct is the one that baffles me. ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/7 "2003-01-16T16:36:59Z")
Ya know, there are ways around that. You can open up a yahoo account, a juno mail account, freemail or any of 50 different free web mail accounts out there. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/8 "2003-01-16T16:38:24Z")
Why the HELL are people still using Hotmail? It’s slow, you only get 2mb of space, and it crams up with spam nanoseconds after confirming your account. (Trust me, I’ve done the experiments). And even the highest level of the junk mail filter doesn’t work - I set mine to the one where only people on your contacts list can email you. I sure as hell don’t have any BigPenisEnlarger people listed, yet the spam still pours in. There are so many other great free webmail places out there - especially ones that offer a much better username choice than hotmail. Add this to the fact that many sites ban @hotmail.com emails in registration forms. Try [http://www.mail.com](http://www.mail.com) - I have used it for YEARS, and even though in the early days I wasn’t careful about hiding my email address online, I get virtually no spam at all. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/9 "2003-01-16T16:39:06Z")
I’ve had my hotmail account unavailable for an hour or two every so often. This happens when they’re doing maintenence or some such. When it’s happened to me, I’ve always gotten some sort of explanation message though. IMO, Yahoo is a better option for free mail. Haj ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/10 "2003-01-16T16:41:17Z")
I’ve been having a problem getting into my Yahoo account the last few days. After I type in my password, it says the page is unavailable. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/11 "2003-01-16T17:01:08Z")
I would definitely go to another free web-based email service, like [mail.com](http://mail.com) or one of those, but I’ve been using this address for years and I’m afraid I’ll lose contact with people if I switch now. Oh, who am I kidding, nobody ever emails me anyway. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/12 "2003-01-16T17:13:29Z")
**cuauhtemoc** - moving e-house isn’t as difficult as it appears. It’s easiest moving from a mail service that allows fowarding. (Don’t know if Hotmail does, even as a paid service). You generally only have to keep both old and new accounts active for a couple of months. After that, what you will probably want to do is set your Hotmail to Contact List only, and make sure all your friends are on it. Then it shouldn’t spam up too much and you can just check it once a month to keep it active, and round up any waifs and strays and reply to them from your new account, with another reminder. Sounds more complicated than it is, truly. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/13 "2003-01-16T17:50:24Z")
Thanks, **istara**. Maybe I’ll make that a goal for 2003. ---
**Author:** ![Sejal\_Traurig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Sejal\_Traurig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sejal_Traurig)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/14 "2003-01-16T18:26:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by istara \* > \*\*It’s slow, you only get 2mb of space, and it crams up with spam nanoseconds after confirming your account. (Trust me, I’ve done the experiments). \*\* I too have done the experiments… I still to this day have an account set up over a year ago that I have never given out to anyone at any time. I still to this day have not gotten a single spam e-mail at the account. Now… If you OPT to receive deals and announcements during the account creation, then the fault belongs to no one other than you for getting mail you don’t want. Hotmail works just fine… Although occasionally it is unavailable for an hour or two… ---
**Author:** ![tisiphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tisiphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tisiphone)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/15 "2003-01-16T18:36:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cuauhtemoc \* > \*\* > I think the thing that fixed it was my posting here. The Straight Dope has magical powers. Either that or my blood sacrifice to Legba. \*\* Gotta be the Dope, 'cause the proper sacrifices to Papa Legba, or Eshu, AFAIK, are rum, hard candies, and cigars. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/16 "2003-01-16T18:55:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by istara \* > \*\*Why the HELL are people still using Hotmail? > > It’s slow, you only get 2mb of space, and it crams up with spam nanoseconds after confirming your account. (Trust me, I’ve done the experiments). And even the highest level of the junk mail filter doesn’t work - I set mine to the one where only people on your contacts list can email you. I sure as hell don’t have any BigPenisEnlarger people listed, yet the spam still pours in. > > There are so many other great free webmail places out there - especially ones that offer a much better username choice than hotmail. Add this to the fact that many sites ban @hotmail.com emails in registration forms. > > Try [http://www.mail.com](http://www.mail.com) - I have used it for YEARS, and even though in the early days I wasn’t careful about hiding my email address online, I get virtually no spam at all. \*\* You’re nuts. I’ve had my hotmail account for two years now. I don’t have any of the junk mail filters turned on. I use this address for all the registration stuff I do online. I almost never get junk mail…maybe one or two a week. You people must have done something bad in a previous life to deserve such treatment, or maybe I am just unusually virtuous. As for space, I never use more than 10% of my hotmail space anyway, so it’s not a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/17 "2003-01-16T19:06:33Z")
You could always [get a _yourname_@teemingmillions.com](http://tinyurl.com/2teo) email address 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/18 "2003-01-16T19:16:04Z")
Mark me down as someone else who’s rarely had Hotmail problems. I’ve had two Hotmail accounts, the first since about 1996/7. My main account has only been unavailable for more than an hour once in living memory (for about a day a couple of years ago), and has been 100% available for the last two years or so. I find the speed no different to Yahoo! Mail, which I also happily use, and receive maybe one piece of spam a month, which is trapped by the filters. My previous Hotmail account received a lot more (maybe a dozen a day) but back then I was stupid enough to sign up to the member directory and use it, unscrambled, in Usenet posts. I’m quite willing to believe Hotmail sucks for some people. I just get annoyed when it’s assumed that Hotmail sucks for all people. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/19 "2003-01-16T20:35:01Z")
And you can use Hotmail with Outlook Express which you cannot do with other free web-based email services. I use it with OE so the space limitation is a non issue. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974/20 "2003-01-16T22:47:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by istara \* > \*\*It’s slow, you only get 2mb of space, and it crams up with spam nanoseconds after confirming your account. (Trust me, I’ve done the experiments). And even the highest level of the junk mail filter doesn’t work - \*\* Really? I missed a reunion because it turns out that the junkmail filter was trashing any messages that were send by CC or BCC. My friend send out the invitation and CC’ed it. I found it a couple days too late. When I experimented, and sent mail to myself from various addresses and anytime I sent it to myself using CC it wne directly to the junk mail folder. Oh, I still get tons, and tons of spam, but legit e-mail from my friends were going to the trash bin. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hotmail/148974.md?page=2)