List of days of the year

31 December - Microsoft buys Hotmail email service in 1997


Microsoft Corp. today (Dec. 31, 1997) announced it has acquired Hotmail, the award-winning free Web-based e-mail service. Hotmail will become an important component of The Microsoft Network of online communication and information services that Microsoft offers free to all Internet users; it includes sites for news, travel, investment, car buying, games, computing and shopping.


“Hotmail has been a Web-mail pioneer,” said Laura Jennings, vice president, The Microsoft Network. “It has built a strong following by offering a free, high-quality e-mail service that lets its members access a permanent e-mail address from any PC with an Internet connection.