Hotmail, now called Windows Live Hotmail, is a free web-based email program offered by the Microsoft Corporation. It was created by Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith and launched as HoTMaiL in July, 1996. The interesting spelling of the original name referred to the HTML web encoding language used in the construction and operation of the program. Microsoft bought HotMaiL in 1997 and rebranded it as
. MSN Hotmail shortly thereafter.With the relentless growth of the Internet as well as email itself, Hotmail has found a niche with millions of computer users. The program is designed to integrate with Messenger, Hotmail Calendar, SkyDrive and Contacts, giving one unified storage and communications solution. There is no limit as to the number or size of messages that can be stored in Hotmail, making it a valuable second email or storage account for users.This very feature "" unlimited storage "" can also be a problem when trying to find a particular message. Hotmail does provide a robust search engine that allows users to search their entire mail archive for users or messages. It can be accessed on the top of the Inbox after logging in. The search engine will find messages based on name, title or content, and displays them first in the list view on the left pane, then one at a time in the main viewing pane of the Inbox. The engine uses the Bing search technology and arranges email from most recent to oldest, although this order is changeable at need. Once found, emails may be manipulated in standard ways "" using reply, forward, delete or move to the Junk or other folders. Printing is also possible for those wishing for a hard copy of a particular message.The search feature of Hotmail adds value to this free program, allowing users to manipulate their email library quickly and easily.More reference links: http://explore.live.com/hotmail-help-center http://www.emailfinder.com/resources/cat-msn-hotmail.html
