Hotmail: A Journey from Humble Beginnings to Global Popularity

In the late 1990s, the term 'hotmail' was synonymous with web-based email services. Founded by Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith in 1996, Hotmail quickly gained popularity as it became one of the first webmail services on the internet, along with Four11's RocketMail (later Yahoo! Mail). The service's innovative approach to providing users with a free email account, accessible from anywhere in the world, resonated with the masses.

Hotmail's early success was marked by a significant security flaw discovered in 1999. Hackers exploited a vulnerability that allowed anyone to log in to any Hotmail account using the password 'eh'. This incident earned Hotmail the unwanted title of being part of 'the most widespread security incident in the history of the Web.' The company's swift response and subsequent integration with Microsoft's web authentication scheme, Microsoft Passport (now Microsoft account), helped alleviate concerns about data security.

As Hotmail continued to grow, it became evident that its infrastructure needed an overhaul. In 2001, Microsoft claimed that the service had been fully converted to Windows 2000, only to retract the statement a few days later. The company admitted that the DNS functions of the Hotmail system still relied on FreeBSD. A project was initiated to migrate the service to Windows 2000, which eventually took place.

Hotmail's early years were marked by a mix of operating systems, including FreeBSD and Solaris. However, its popularity grew rapidly as it became localized for different markets around the globe. By February 1999, Hotmail boasted over 30 million active members, cementing its position as the world's largest webmail service.

The sale of Hotmail to Microsoft in December 1997 marked a significant turning point in the company's history. The reported $400 million acquisition was preceded by a major incident in 1997 where all email was lost for 25% of mailboxes. Despite this setback, Hotmail continued to thrive under Microsoft's ownership.

During its early years, Hotmail ran on Solaris for mail services and Apache on FreeBSD for web services. However, the company gradually transitioned towards using Microsoft products, leveraging Windows Services for UNIX in the migration path. By December 1997, Hotmail had reported over 8.5 million subscribers.

The name 'Hotmail' was chosen from a list of possibilities ending in '-mail', with the added bonus of incorporating the letters HTML, the markup language used to create web pages. The original type casing of 'HoTMaiL' further emphasized this connection. Launched commercially on July 4, 1996, Hotmail symbolized 'freedom' from ISP-based email and the ability to access a user's inbox from anywhere in the world.

Hotmail's legacy extends beyond its impact on the webmail industry. The service played a significant role in shaping Microsoft's online strategy, particularly with its integration into the company's instant messaging and social networking programs, MSN Messenger and MSN Spaces (later Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Spaces, respectively).

In conclusion, Hotmail's journey from humble beginnings to global popularity is a testament to innovation, perseverance, and strategic partnerships. From its early days as one of the first webmail services on the internet to its eventual sale to Microsoft, Hotmail's impact on the digital landscape remains undeniable.

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