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Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

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Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#31

Post by milankragujevic »

enitihas wrote: post #23
allenskd wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say it heavily depends as well, a year ago my father had one of those phones featuring Android One and it wouldn't let you use it unless you connected to wi-fi and logged in to your account. It's bizarre that functionality is blocking you for basic usage of making a call, etc. I guess the manufacturer could have opted for that type of lock-in as well with their images, but seeing Android One is a near-stock as-is…

Just out of curiosity, which android one phone was this. I have used two android one phones, the Xiaomi A1 and the Motorola One Power, and both of them work fine without a google account.

I can confirm, Motorola One & later Motorola One Action, both can be set up in seconds without an account, there's a prominent Skip button everywhere. Some phones can't, i.e. MIUI-based Xiaomi phones require a Google and Mi account on the first boot, to call home owner info. Later resets will not require it, but they always require a mobile data connection (not WiFi!) to verify validity of the device (as dystopian as that sounds).

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#32

Post by lstamour »

tonyedgecombe wrote: post #20
lstamour wrote: post #4

This might be old news. The “Offline Account” link appears in Windows 10 Pro but not Windows 10 Home. It’s unclear which version this is. https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/222344/microsoft...

At the moment, it's clear what the direction of travel is.

True, and even in Pro you are prompted to “finish setup” (attach a Microsoft account) according to the Thurrott article.

All I can point to is that every other operating system with cloud backup services has gone the same way. It’s hard to backup a local account to the cloud when it’s not synced and once synced, why force users to remember different passwords? Combining accounts does make life easier for most folks...

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#33

Post by milankragujevic »

allenskd wrote: post #30
enitihas wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just out of curiosity, which android one phone was this. I have used two android one phones, the Xiaomi A1 and the Motorola One Power, and both of them work fine without a google account.

I think it was one of those cheap Alcatel phones with Android One. I don't remember well myself but I'm pretty sure it was Alcatel. I ended up helping him getting a LG G6 and for his usage it's more than enough power for him. (plus cheap in 2019 when I bought it) All problems solved. Not sure what went wrong with his phone but I couldn't even do anything with the recovery mode and resetting to factory.

Alcatel doesn't have Android One, at least not internationally. They have Android Go, which is the less-resource-intensive version. However, Alcatel is absolutely awful with privacy and some of the software bundled is absolute scam-ware. Even older devices got updates via Play store for system apps like Calculator, File manager, etc., which introduced ads, and a (!!!) floating blue octopus on (every) screen which shows suggestions and full screen autoplaying ads with sound.

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#35

Post by enitihas »

milankragujevic wrote: post #31
enitihas wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just out of curiosity, which android one phone was this. I have used two android one phones, the Xiaomi A1 and the Motorola One Power, and both of them work fine without a google account.

I can confirm, Motorola One & later Motorola One Action, both can be set up in seconds without an account, there's a prominent Skip button everywhere. Some phones can't, i.e. MIUI-based Xiaomi phones require a Google and Mi account on the first boot, to call home owner info. Later resets will not require it, but they always require a mobile data connection (not WiFi!) to verify validity of the device (as dystopian as…

MIUI based devices don't come with Android one though, but yes, MIUI is horrible and I will never buy a device even if it has great hardware with MiUI.

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#36

Post by milankragujevic »

enitihas wrote: post #27
pjmlp wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With Android you don't get to uninstall factory packaged apps.

You do, you can literally disable gmail from app info. I just tried this on my moto one power and it is totally possible.

On cheaper Android devices that are sold at-cost or below cost, you usually can't. They need to make money on your data with those "value-add" apps, to remain profitable, so they mark ALL apps as "system required", to prevent disabling (i.e. try disabling SystemUI through the UI, it won't let you, the button will be greyed out).

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#37

Post by vezycash »

timwis wrote: post #13
enitihas wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope, windows phone took the Android approach. Anyways, android is usable without signing into a google account. You can use the Amazon app store (which has most of popular apps), or fdroid or download apk files yourself like windows of old. Windows is a paid product, Android is not. Apart from including ridiculous ads and telemetry some of which can't be disabled, Windows seems to be taking user hosting steps every…

Hm don’t you need to sign in on android for google play services to work? Which is necessary for a tonne of stuff

If you don't use the play store or apps that rely on play services. It should work fine.

My issue with MS's forced use of online account is that there's zero merit for doing so.

I don't use the store or any store app. I don't use OneDrive, nor need to sync settings, word, app states...

It doesn't make my device more secure. Instead created more attack surface for my devices. All devices connected to one account can are owned once someone takes over my email.

But I do like using PIN instead of passwords. There's no valid technical reason why offline accounts can't use PIN but it is what it is. So, so I end up signing in.

For Windows phone, it made sense to save my phone contacts online, and to use find my phone.

Once Cortana got into the picture though they started messing up with stuff that worked fine to force Cortana on me.

So stuff like quiet mode no longer worked without Cortana. And no longer worked offline.

If there are clear Advantages to users more people will use Microsoft account.

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#38

Post by milankragujevic »

enitihas wrote: post #35
milankragujevic wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can confirm, Motorola One & later Motorola One Action, both can be set up in seconds without an account, there's a prominent Skip button everywhere. Some phones can't, i.e. MIUI-based Xiaomi phones require a Google and Mi account on the first boot, to call home owner info. Later resets will not require it, but they always require a mobile data connection (not WiFi!) to verify validity of the device (as dystopian as…

MIUI based devices don't come with Android one though, but yes, MIUI is horrible and I will never buy a device even if it has great hardware with MiUI.

Yes, true. However, Android One is not a panacea for spyware, as I discovered with Nokia.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19449824 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17329825

Manufacturers are still allowed to install apps that are "necessary for [special] hardware functions", and include spyware in them.

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#39

Post by ptx »

pjmlp wrote: post #22
enitihas wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And it's not hidden in windows, where you have candy crush pre-installed and ads in the start menu. So in windows, you fork over cash, give your data, and then have to seem some ads.

Candy crush is not pre-installed, it is just a link to the store, easily removable with right mouse click. Gee, I never saw people complain this way with Solitaire, Mineswepper, GNOME Games Suit, or the dump of floppies they would get on their Atari/Amiga/PC bundles.

The difference is that in one case the developer is adding something purely because they think it might benefit the user, and in the other case the developer is being paid by a third party to do something to the user that they wouldn't otherwise have done.

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#40

Post by xylol »

pjmlp wrote: post #18
StanislavPetrov wrote: post #2

I've has MS-DOS and/or Windows as one of my boot options on all of my systems for gaming purposes for 30+ years, but the day they mandate a Microsoft account is the day I finally ditch them all together.

You can use the iCloud or Google Play ones instead.

How can you use these to login to windows? Using a PC offline makes sense for many reasons, taking this away reduces the value of the OS.
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