Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks? • Hacker News Board

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#31

Post by bryanrasmussen » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 4:09 PM UTC

cyberge99 wrote: post #18

kop316 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microsoft makes this extremely difficult, even for an offline account. If you log into any Microsoft product (Office, Teams, Skype OneDrive, etc), Windows forces you to log into everything else. This is especially infuriating with Office, as they make it extremely difficult to get a standalone product, they very aggressively push Office 364, so you are forced to log into Office to even use it.

The only common thing in all of those is Microsoft. I think the solution to the problem is obvious.

go on welfare because the people telling you what applications to use as part of your day to day work want Microsoft!

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#32

Post by Borrible » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 4:14 PM UTC

Of course they don't steal anything from you.

They just preserve your precious little soul. To your best interest. Which may coincidentially be in their best interest. A friendly customer service, because you happen to honour them using their products. And, if you're lucky, even in the best interest of people that do protect you against evil forces out there in the dark. From time to time they may look into your precious little soul lying down on the ocean ground in an underwater Microsoft data center, to see if all is well with you.

Think about it, sometimes you yourself don't know you're part of those forces, but Microsoft and those other people might know. And they can help you.

They are like shepherds to their flock.

Some may call it customer profiling, customer-retention or even vendor lock-in, mass surveillance and other ugly terms, but I tell you it is love.

Yes, pure caring and love. You may not understand that at first. Like Apple had to learn bitterly recently. But I tell you, in the end, with their help, there will be just shiny happy people around you.

Amen.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#33

Post by concinds » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 4:20 PM UTC

kop316 wrote: post #16

vadfa wrote: post #4

One more reason not to log in using your Microsoft account at all.

Microsoft makes this extremely difficult, even for an offline account. If you log into any Microsoft product (Office, Teams, Skype OneDrive, etc), Windows forces you to log into everything else. This is especially infuriating with Office, as they make it extremely difficult to get a standalone product, they very aggressively push Office 364, so you are forced to log into Office to even use it.

As of Windows 10 (haven't tried on 11) it asks if you want to log in with a single app, or the whole user account. I think that's great. Contrast that with Apple, that forces you to login to iCloud (and link your computer's serial with your iCloud account) whenever you log in to the App Store, and requires an Apple ID to download free apps from the App Store, AND enables all iCloud sync options on by default whenever you are logged into iCloud (i.e. you login to the app store, now by default your Stocks, Siri info, Contacts, a bunch of app preferences through iCloud Drive, now get synced without any consent).

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#34

Post by AnthonyMouse » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 4:34 PM UTC

marginalia_nu wrote: post #7

vadfa wrote: post #4

One more reason not to log in using your Microsoft account at all.

Sucks that Windows forcibly pairs your local account and Microsoft account every once in a while with no opt-out.

There is a solution to this even if you're on Windows, isn't there?

Never create a Microsoft account. At all.

At least until they stop allowing that for products you're already using, which will probably be tomorrow, if it hasn't already happened.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#35

Post by AnthonyMouse » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 4:37 PM UTC

nikanj wrote: post #25

cyberge99 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only common thing in all of those is Microsoft. I think the solution to the problem is obvious.

There's another common thing in all of those: Computers. For many people, "Just stop using Microsoft" is about as useful as "Just stop using computers"

> For many people, "Just stop using Microsoft" is about as useful as "Just stop using computers"

For many people, it isn't. All of those people should "just stop using Microsoft."

That not only helps them, it's an act of solidarity with the people who are still stuck. Because then alternatives have more market share and vendors have to support platforms that aren't Microsoft, which helps the stuck people extricate themselves tomorrow.

Do it if you can. Even if it's a little bit of work.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#36

Post by kop316 » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 4:47 PM UTC

concinds wrote: post #33

kop316 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microsoft makes this extremely difficult, even for an offline account. If you log into any Microsoft product (Office, Teams, Skype OneDrive, etc), Windows forces you to log into everything else. This is especially infuriating with Office, as they make it extremely difficult to get a standalone product, they very aggressively push Office 364, so you are forced to log into Office to even use it.

As of Windows 10 (haven't tried on 11) it asks if you want to log in with a single app, or the whole user account. I think that's great. Contrast that with Apple, that forces you to login to iCloud (and link your computer's serial with your iCloud account) whenever you log in to the App Store, and requires an Apple ID to download free apps from the App Store, AND enables all iCloud sync options on by default whenever…

Hmm...I'll have to look into this, thanks! I did not see an option for that that was obvious to me.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#37

Post by marginalia_nu » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 4:59 PM UTC

AnthonyMouse wrote: post #34

marginalia_nu wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sucks that Windows forcibly pairs your local account and Microsoft account every once in a while with no opt-out.

There is a solution to this even if you're on Windows, isn't there? Never create a Microsoft account. At all. At least until they stop allowing that for products you're already using, which will probably be tomorrow, if it hasn't already happened.

> At least until they stop allowing that for products you're already using, which will probably be tomorrow, if it hasn't already happened.

I've been forced to enter a Microsoft account to log in to my computer after an update. No thought toward the possibility that I may need to use the computer I'm in front of to reset the password to that account. No Microsoft account, no getting past that screen.

I had to boot into Linux to reset my microsoft account so I could log into windows. I don't even.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#38

Post by remolacha » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 5:02 PM UTC

reaperducer wrote: post #15

azinman2 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because the Microsoft date sync it’s web browser you want to wipe out trillions in value to the US economy, projects that could never be done outside of a large company filled with the best aligned talent (custom chips, google search), and hand it over to the next willing coordinated massive player with entirely different values and regulatory laws (China)? I think this is a very silly idea that would be super destru…

I think it is a very silly idea to think that breaking up big companies would wipe out trillions in value to the US economy. The whole reason there are anti-competition laws is because many smaller companies are better for an economy than one large company.

Those anti-competition laws are only applicable when a company is using market dominance to exclude new entrants, distorting the free market. Not true in this case. Lots of small companies are not inherently economically better than big firms. It totally depends on the maturity of the market in question. Large firms gain economies of scale, and can pursue opportunities with large upfront capital requirements.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#39

Post by jmnicolas » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 5:02 PM UTC

kop316 wrote: post #16

vadfa wrote: post #4

One more reason not to log in using your Microsoft account at all.

Microsoft makes this extremely difficult, even for an offline account. If you log into any Microsoft product (Office, Teams, Skype OneDrive, etc), Windows forces you to log into everything else. This is especially infuriating with Office, as they make it extremely difficult to get a standalone product, they very aggressively push Office 364, so you are forced to log into Office to even use it.

> Office 364

I think you're using an old version ;)

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#40

Post by reaperducer » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 5:14 PM UTC

remolacha wrote: post #38

reaperducer wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it is a very silly idea to think that breaking up big companies would wipe out trillions in value to the US economy. The whole reason there are anti-competition laws is because many smaller companies are better for an economy than one large company.

Those anti-competition laws are only applicable when a company is using market dominance to exclude new entrants, distorting the free market. Not true in this case. Lots of small companies are not inherently economically better than big firms. It totally depends on the maturity of the market in question. Large firms gain economies of scale, and can pursue opportunities with large upfront capital requirements.

The point wasn't about the competition. The point is that many small companies are better for an economy than a single large company.

Let me give you one small example: MediumCo and SmallCo each need 50 stenographers to get the office work done. When the two merge into MegaConHugeCo, it only needs 60 stenographers to get the office work done. "Economies of scale" are great for the giant new company, but throw 40 people into unemployment. That is bad for an economy.

Multiply that by all of the functions of a company, and you understand why the federal government and politicians put so much attention and resources into helping small and medium businesses.