Wow.. I am in the minority..
I have a hotmail account (@live.com is the same). Had it for a long time, but I mainly use this account for IM with friends and to give out when I don't want to use my main email address.
I have the domain name txbobcat.com. Through my domain I have an account for business, DW and my personal email. This is through Go Daddy. This also gives me a web site if I want to use it.
The reason I use a domain account is that I have used MS Outlook for many years and am so use to downloading my email to my computer. I don't have to worry about loosing my email or contacts. Unless you purchase an account Yahaoo or Hotmail does not allow pop accounts.
The only email I have not tried was Gmail and that was that they were asking for a lot of information that I did not want to give them to open an account.. They may have changed by now, I am not sure..
That's what I do...
BC