How can I get the old Windows Live Hotmail back?

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Well said, Leo. I have tried most of the other popular e-mail programs and find good and bad in all of them. I have used AOL 9.0 for years and nothing compares to its ease of use and many terrific features. Many people bash AOL, but I will keep their e-mail as my main go-to client. I pay a small monthly fee, but find it more than worth it for the stable, unchanging interface. I embrace changing technology in most areas, but leave my e-mail alone.

"If we lived in a logical world, hemorrhoids would be called asteroids"

Feh, I wish I could change my email service. For some reason my university thought it would be a good idea to use Hotmail for our official email accounts, so I am forced to use it.

The new layout doesn't even work in Opera (my browser of choice), which is extremely frustrating...

since you changed the new windows hotmail format, i have lost some of my contacts and can't get them back on my list. i have tried everything. HELP

I don't mind the change it is I cannot get the functions with the change. I cannot forward and have ask for some options to get to forward my mail but no one will answer. When I press the TO
for contacts buttons I get one big page with one contact and no scroll button where I could go up and down like on the old hot mail. It was so easy. I have one important contact on there and when I press contacts my forward mail goes away.
I loose every thing. I would just like to know how to get to forward I do so much of that and since the new window I can not. I had a mail to ask me forward something to the person and I could not. Changes are good and bad and you have to remember you are dealing with young middle age and old people. so you have to take all into consideration.
Thanks Sharon

I have no problem with change except for the fact that four days ago I went to check my email and it was gone.. I have attempted to log in to it and I continue to get the message that it nolonger exsists and so I created a new account with live just to have a place to get some kind of respons. My problem is that I have nobody to go to try and get my account back. Any suggestions.

I mwant to review my sent mail---where do I go???

Having used HOTMAIL for over ten years I had liked its userfriendly service. Now with the changes when I cant retrieve sent mail and find locating contacts tedious Iwould like to go to some other service provider. Trouble is I have other IDs but not having used them for so long I do not properly recall my pass word etc. So the service provider tells me the name exists but password doesn't. How irretating has Hotmail become

AMEN! It's unbelievable how many people complain about a free service that THEY SIGNED UP FOR! I think it's because most fall into the trap of expecting e-mail addresses to last forever. Until they are willing to register their own domain, they can't expect to have a me@mydomain.com. I have had for 5 years a free e-mail account (which shall remain nameless), but I do try to be aware it could disappear at any time. I also actively give the service feedback on changes to help participate in making the product better.

Leo,
Excellent, full-bloodied, completely deserved, totally customer-focussed (though they might not see it that way), justifiable rant.
I would also like to remind people that there's no such thing as "free" even if it looks free. And if it looks free, what does it say about a business that has its own domain name like mydomain.com yet still uses mycompany123(at)aol.com or even worse, mycompany345(at)hotmail.com. How unprofessional is that? Great article.

I have been using NetAddress for more than fifteen years (it uses the "@usa.net" domain). It started out free, then began charging for its services. I decided to stay with them because of the convenience and service. Over the years, I have not been disappointed. Though their fee is somewhat high, the service is worth it. All of my problem requests have had a response time of less than 24 hours - and all of them have been resolved. The old saying, "You get what you pay for" is certainly true here.

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