Popular email providers like Hotmail and Yahoo have a couple advantages. First, they're easy for you (and your friends!) to remember. They're also likely to be around a while - smaller services can go under or decide to start charging, forcing you to get another email account. Third, if you're not very confident on computers, it can be nice to use the same email provider as your friends and family. Then they'll be able to help you get started.

On the other hand... those bigger companies offer many services and they want you to use them, darn it! Smaller companies may have a more straightforward sign-in and send you less unwanted emails.

Choosing a username with big companies is a nuisance - not only is joesmith already taken, but probably so is kamikaze_joe527. Because of this, some spammers send bulk mail to every possible address at hotmail and yahoo; they know that people are using most of those addresses. (Of course, if you hand out your email left and right, you will get spammed regardless of who your provider is).

If you'd like to get an email account at a smaller company, check out Mail.com, Fastmail.fm, or Inbox.com.