Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Users Being Migrated To New Version of Hotmail

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the windows-live-inspires-confidence dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft has started work on migrating Hotmail users to a new version after testing the new system on select customers for almost two years. Microsoft stated in the article that more than 20 million users provided feedback to the new-look Hotmail. 'For now, Microsoft will give Hotmail users the option to continue using the old version if they don't want to switch to the upgraded version. However, at some point, everyone will be unilaterally migrated over to Windows Live Hotmail ... New users will be automatically signed up for Windows Live Hotmail but, like any user of the new service, they will get to choose from two user interfaces: a "classic" layout that closely resembles the old Hotmail; or the new interface, which was designed to look like Microsoft's Outlook e-mail and calendaring desktop application.'"

3 of 215 comments (clear)

  1. Hotmail is Awesome by milsoRgen · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is just more Hotmail Awesomeness IMO, I remember a few weeks ago the account I use for important communications was brought done due to inactivity, they somehow didn't notice I log into Windows Messenger every day... But the icing on the cake was when I logged into an account I rarely if ever use (it's primarily for junk mail, web registrations, etc) was working fine. Hadn't logged into that account in months and it was all there. My main account however lost all archived e-mails and contacts. Awesome. I use gmail now. Don't much care for it's interface, but it's by far more responsive then the new hotmail.

    --
    I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask where they're goin' and hook up with 'em later.
  2. But is it Exchange based? by dzelenka · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I read the article (really) and it never says what servers are being used behind the curtain. They were embarrassed when they could not put Hotmail on Exchange when it was originally acquired. This would be a grand showcase for the scalability of Exchange. Why isn't it being shouted from the rooftops? Are they waiting to see if it _does_ scale?

    --
    Bah!
  3. Hotmail Vs. Gmail by 99BottlesOfBeerInMyF · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Okay, I don't have a hotmail account, although I do have a Gmail one. So how do the two stack up? From reading comments here and looking at public sources I see:

    • Gmail - disk space of 2.6G versus 2G
    • Hotmail - attachment size, Hotmail claims to allow 10M attachments as the maximum, whereas Gmail claims 10M for the attachment and message combined. (Can anyone confirm the marketing is true?)
    • Gmail - Free POP support
    • Tie - I know Gmail has no ads and someone is claiming Hotmail has removed them now too for the free accounts. Can anyone confirm this?
    • Gmail - Spam, last I heard Gmail was winning the spam battle without the high false positive rate that has been plaguing Hotmail.
    • ? - interface. Any interface designers with a clue taken a look at both of these?
    • Gmail - prestige. We interviewed a person with a Gmail address the other day and someone commented that she probably has a clue in technology. At an old job someone made the opposite comment with regard to an applicant with a Hotmail address.
    • Gmail - cross platform support. Gmail works the same way with Safari and Opera, while Hotmail degrades to the old interface in them.
    • Gmail - language support. Gmail claims to support 41 unique languages (not variants) versus Hotmail's 31.
    • ? address book import/export - Gmail supports CSV import and export. Hotmail is unknown?

    Does anyone have any other comparative features or info or corrections for the above list?