WLM vs Hotmail

I posted a question a few days ago about WLMD and got a reply which
included the mention of the D having been dropped some time ago which
begs the question how does one tell the versions? Or, maybe I'm
mistaken but when I go online and log into my ID, it's listed as Windows
Live Mail. I had thought the former Hotmail and MSN mail were being
merged into the new Live Mail but if the desktop version is also Windows
Live Mail, I must be mistaken.

Hotmail, MSN Mail, etc were created originally as web-based mail
services. Traditionally, a subscriber would use a web-browser to
sign into a Hotmail type account - and read / send messages.

Windows Live Mail (previously known as Windows Live Mail Desktop)
is a program that resides on a local computer.

You can use WLMail as a mail client, to access messages on POP3,
IMAP and/or HTTP mail servers. Most importantly, it is one of
the few mail clients that is compatible with Microsoft's
DeltaSync HTTP mail servers, so you can use Windows Live Mail to
read / send messages and synchronize folders with a Hotmail, MSN
or Live email account.

Windows Live Mail also includes a newsreader function, for
reading and posting newsgroup messages (via NNTP news servers).

Confusion reigned, when Microsoft decided to label virtually
everything that moves with the word "Live".

So Hotmail type email accounts (; ;
and ) became Windows Live Hotmail. MSN Messenger
became Windows Live Messenger.

Hotmail subscribers can use any web-browser sign into their mail
accounts at http://mail/live.com. Or, they can go directly to
their on-line contact lists at http://contacts/live.com - and
they can use their personal calendar at http://calendar/live.com.

So how does Windows Live mail interact with Windows Live Hotmail?

A Hotmail subscriber, with Windows Live Mail on his own computer,
can use it to access mail accounts and synchronize with his
folders on the Windows Live mail server. The subscriber can also
configure WLMail to sign in and synchronize his local contact
list and calendar with the on-line version.

Still confused ?? I hope Microsoft did not intend to confuse
individual users, but that is precisely what they have done.



"Tim Mathews" <> wrote in message
news:4b2e383a$0$5342$...
> I posted a question a few days ago about WLMD and got a reply
> which included the mention of the D having been dropped some
> time ago which begs the question how does one tell the
> versions? Or, maybe I'm mistaken but when I go online and log
> into my ID, it's listed as Windows Live Mail. I had thought
> the former Hotmail and MSN mail were being merged into the new
> Live Mail but if the desktop version is also Windows Live Mail,
> I must be mistaken.

The online version is officially "Windows Live Hotmail" - you will notice
the "Hotmail" insignia below, underneath, references to "Windows Live" on
those screens. I'm guilty of the same observance too - or lack thereof.
Seems our eyes and brain quit reading after seeing "Windows Live" on those
screens.


"Tim Mathews" <> wrote in message
news:4b2e383a$0$5342$...
> I posted a question a few days ago about WLMD and got a reply which
> included the mention of the D having been dropped some time ago which begs
> the question how does one tell the versions? Or, maybe I'm mistaken but
> when I go online and log into my ID, it's listed as Windows Live Mail. I
> had thought the former Hotmail and MSN mail were being merged into the new
> Live Mail but if the desktop version is also Windows Live Mail, I must be
> mistaken.

To see the version number of any Windows program, go to its
menu bar and click on Help, About...

--
Gary VanderMolen, Microsoft MVP (Mail)
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/def...le/vandermolen


"Tim Mathews" <> wrote in message news:4b2e383a$0$5342$...
>I posted a question a few days ago about WLMD and got a reply which
> included the mention of the D having been dropped some time ago which
> begs the question how does one tell the versions? Or, maybe I'm
> mistaken but when I go online and log into my ID, it's listed as Windows
> Live Mail. I had thought the former Hotmail and MSN mail were being
> merged into the new Live Mail but if the desktop version is also Windows
> Live Mail, I must be mistaken.

"Gary VanderMolen (MVP)" <> wrote in message
news:#...
> To see the version number of any Windows program, go to its menu bar and
> click on Help, About...

What version of Windows Search do you have, Gary?

--
Noel

On Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:44:29 -0400, Tim Mathews wrote:

> I posted a question a few days ago about WLMD and got a reply which
> included the mention of the D having been dropped some time ago which
> begs the question how does one tell the versions? Or, maybe I'm
> mistaken but when I go online and log into my ID, it's listed as Windows
> Live Mail.

If you mean the web view of Hotmail, I see the following:

[logo]Windows Live (tm), followed by a menu bar listing: "Home", "Profile",
"People", "Mail", "Photos", "More", "MSN", and a Bing search box; with my
name, display picture, and "sign out" at the far right. Next line down I
see: "Hotmail", followed by more menu items: "New", "ManageNewsletters",
"Read our blog", and at the far right, "Messenger", "Options", and a Help
button with an icon, (?).

What I do not see is a reference to, "Windows Live Mail".

> I had thought the former Hotmail and MSN mail were being merged into
> the new Live Mail but if the desktop version is also Windows
> Live Mail, I must be mistaken.

At one time, MSN Hotmail was to be called, "Windows Live Mail", and the
desktop client was released as, "Windows Live Mail desktop". But a certain
about of brand confusion was occurring, with end users uncertain of the
relationship between, "MSN Hotmail" (old name) and "Windows Live Mail" (new
name). So Microsoft changed again, renaming "Windows Live Mail", as,
"Windows Live Hotmail", then renaming the desktop from, "Windows Live Mail
desktop" to, simply, "Windows Live Mail".

--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum

Dunno, I don't have a "Windows Search" in my list of programs,
either in Vista or Windows 7. ;-)

--
Gary VanderMolen, Microsoft MVP (Mail)
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/def...le/vandermolen


"Ildhund" <> wrote in message news:OQ%...
> "Gary VanderMolen (MVP)" <> wrote in message
> news:#...
>> To see the version number of any Windows program, go to its menu bar and
>> click on Help, About...
>
> What version of Windows Search do you have, Gary?
>
> --
> Noel
>

Hi, Norman.

And that cleared up all the confusion, right? :^{


To Tim, the OP, if you are still reading along...

That "renaming frenzy" happened in May 2006, over 3 1/2 years ago - and MANY
users are STILL confused. :>(

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64

"N. Miller" <> wrote in message
news:1bnq858symzdh$....
> On Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:44:29 -0400, Tim Mathews wrote:
>
>> I posted a question a few days ago about WLMD and got a reply which
>> included the mention of the D having been dropped some time ago which
>> begs the question how does one tell the versions? Or, maybe I'm
>> mistaken but when I go online and log into my ID, it's listed as Windows
>> Live Mail.
>
> If you mean the web view of Hotmail, I see the following:
>
> [logo]Windows Live (tm), followed by a menu bar listing: "Home",
> "Profile",
> "People", "Mail", "Photos", "More", "MSN", and a Bing search box; with my
> name, display picture, and "sign out" at the far right. Next line down I
> see: "Hotmail", followed by more menu items: "New", "ManageNewsletters",
> "Read our blog", and at the far right, "Messenger", "Options", and a Help
> button with an icon, (?).
>
> What I do not see is a reference to, "Windows Live Mail".
>
>> I had thought the former Hotmail and MSN mail were being merged into
>> the new Live Mail but if the desktop version is also Windows
>> Live Mail, I must be mistaken.
>
> At one time, MSN Hotmail was to be called, "Windows Live Mail", and the
> desktop client was released as, "Windows Live Mail desktop". But a certain
> about of brand confusion was occurring, with end users uncertain of the
> relationship between, "MSN Hotmail" (old name) and "Windows Live Mail"
> (new
> name). So Microsoft changed again, renaming "Windows Live Mail", as,
> "Windows Live Hotmail", then renaming the desktop from, "Windows Live Mail
> desktop" to, simply, "Windows Live Mail".
>
> --
> Norman