# Is Hotmail MSN? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 4, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hotmail-msn/630363 "2012-08-04T00:36:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hotmail-msn/630363/1 "2012-08-04T00:36:12Z")
I know nothing about it. Has it been bought by MSN? I ask for a friend with a new job with an elderly couple and they can’t remember their password to get into Hotmail. She says it keeps taking her to MSN. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hotmail-msn/630363/2 "2012-08-04T00:38:35Z")
> [@](#): > > **Hotmail** (officially **Microsoft Hotmail** , previously **Windows Live Hotmail** and **MSN Hotmail** ) is a free [web-based email](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webmail) service operated by [Microsoft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft) as part of [Windows Live](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Live). One of the first web-based email services,[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotmail#cite_note-2) it was founded by [Sabeer Bhatia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabeer_Bhatia) and [Jack Smith](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Smith_%28Hotmail%29) and launched in July 1996 as “ **HoTMaiL** ”.[[4]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotmail#cite_note-ShortHistory-3) It was acquired by Microsoft in 1997 for an estimated $400 million, and shortly after, it was rebranded as “MSN Hotmail”. The current version was released in 2011.[[5]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotmail#cite_note-4) > > – snip – > > [On July 31, 2012, Microsoft announced a preview of](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotmail#cite_note-4)[Outlook.com](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlook.com), a new service that will eventually replace Hotmail.[[13]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotmail#cite_note-12) > **[Outlook.com](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotmail)** > > Outlook.com, formerly Hotmail, is a free personal email service offered by Microsoft. It also provides a webmail interface accessible via web browser or mobile apps featuring mail, calendaring, contacts, and tasks services. Outlook can also be accessed via email clients using the IMAP or POP protocols. > Founded in 1996 by Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith as Hotmail, it was acquired by Microsoft in 1997 for an estimated $400 million, with it becoming part of the MSN family of online services, brande... ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hotmail-msn/630363/3 "2012-08-04T01:09:06Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > [Outlook.com - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotmail) Thanks will forward it on. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hotmail-msn/630363/4 "2012-10-09T22:12:10Z")
So, will they now be charging to continue using ‘grandfathered’ hotmail addresses? I received a long legalese email that didn’t clear this up to me. I understand the deadline is 19 October. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hotmail-msn/630363/5 "2012-10-10T13:46:42Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I know nothing about it. Has it been bought by MSN? I ask for a friend with a new job with an elderly couple and they can’t remember their password to get into Hotmail. She says it keeps taking her to MSN. Hotmail will become [Outlook.com](http://Outlook.com) before the end of the year. It remains a free service, but it’s supposed to be a significant upgrade to the features and functionality.