A minor clarification.
<geek>MSN is a brand name, that MicroSoft uses for several products. In this context it is an Instant Messaging (real time) SERVICE offered by MS that relays messages between two computers. Messenger (or MSN Messenger, or Windows Messenger) is a CLIENT, which is a program on your computer that connects to the SERVICE. The email address is used to register and confirm that it is a real user, and subsequently to act as an ID on the SERVICE. No actual email transport is used when using instant messaging. There are a bunch of other Instant Messaging services (that MS Messenger can't access) and a bunch of other Client Programs that can access MSN and other SERVICES.</geek>
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