It’s the product that counts here not the name. The fact is over 260 million people use the service and anything you can do to keep from confusing that many people is a good thing. Sure many people haven’t been exactly please with Hotmail but hopefully, for MS, that will change when Live Hotmail rolls out.

I think that is true but that is also the problem Microsoft has run into with Windows (kinda). They need to just jump in and overhaul Windows to make it better from the ground up, but doing so will break a lot of compatibility options meaning people won’t be able to use their old software as easily. I think backwards compatibility is always important but not when it is hindering the Windows development as much as it is. I would like to see Microsoft just start from a clean slate and make something that is really awe inspiring.

The name is actually rather important and I can see where he is coming from. For example, if I had a really bad experience shopping at a store that we’ll say is Walmart, I’ll probably avoid shopping there if I don’t have to. Then if a new store opens up by the owners of Walmart and is called “My Store by Walmart” I would probably be unlikely to shop there simply because of the bad experience that I’ve had with Walmart in the past. If the store was just called “My Store” I might not have ever thought about who owned the store and might have enjoyed shopping there. That’s just a quick example that I made up, but it kinda shows that anyone who had a bad experience with Hotmail might not even try the new Windows Live Hotmail simply because they’ll initially think it is just a new skin, when in reality there is a lot of under-the-hood work as well. So the name is probably more important than you might think…at least it is to me.

I talked about this in my latest blog entry [ffextensiongurublog.info] To put is short and sweet I like Windows Live Mail, but hadn’t signed up prior and were asked to now with the new name I would be hesitant.

They tell you they built a new system from the ground up and you would be hesitant to try it. I just don’t understand that. Microsoft is asking you to try a email system that they have spent millions of dollars developing, have had tens-of-thousands of people testing, and it’s free and you are hesitant because they changed part of the name to Hotmail. I just don’t get it.

It’s the product that counts here not the name. The fact is over 260 million people use the service and anything you can do to keep from confusing that many people is a good thing. Sure many people haven’t been exactly please with Hotmail but hopefully, for MS, that will change when Live Hotmail rolls out.

If my wife is any indication, most people will find the new service only marginally better than the original. In fact since some of the features have change many people will likely be confused.

If it’s a high school, I’m not surprised. Most do block mail and messenger services these days for obvious reasons.

Mojo Denbow wrote:

I agree. Upgrade or die slowly. The only reason I use Hotmail? It was my old account and now I use it for Microsoft updates/certification and junk.

Their peanut butter is spread WAY to thin

My Hotmail account is my junk mail account as well. I used to use it back in the day until Gmail came around.

Am the other way i get 0 junk mail with windows live on average and use that for personal usage like talking to mates or family but only use Gmail for spam and site sign ups as get a minimum of 2-3 a day on gmail but looks like i never use gmail as my primary e-mail

they blocked hotmail and live mail in our school this week

If it’s a high school, I’m not surprised. Most do block mail and messenger services these days for obvious reasons.

My Hotmail account is my junk mail account as well. I used to use it back in the day until Gmail came around.

Their peanut butter is spread WAY to thin