FYI, you can set up your email client (eg Outlook Express or Mozilla Thunderbird) to receive and send emails from or to your Hotmail account:
http://email.about.com/od/windowslivehotmailtips/qt/et_pop_access.htm

You never need to go to the Hotmail web site again. If you do it this way, then all your addresses are stored locally in OE's address book. Believe me, it is 1000 times more convenient to access your email via POP.

You can also do the same thing for your Yahoo or Gmail accounts.