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Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

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Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#21

I have a theory, which I have no way of backing up or testing at all, that the entire slump in the laptop segment is driven by the fact that Windows is just utterly user-hostile garbage, and there aren’t any alternatives really, other than MacOS, which is too tied to Apple. Like any reasonable tech savvy person I use Linux of course, but I’d have trouble suggesting it… lots of people just don’t want to use the termin…

>lots of people just don’t want to use the terminal at all

That's unfortunate, since the article notes: "Another method of bypassing the account lockdown still exists. You simply have to enter OOBE\BYPASSNRO in the command prompt during the Windows 11 setup process, which allows you to skip the connection to the Internet and thus also the link to a Microsoft account."

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#22

I have a theory, which I have no way of backing up or testing at all, that the entire slump in the laptop segment is driven by the fact that Windows is just utterly user-hostile garbage, and there aren’t any alternatives really, other than MacOS, which is too tied to Apple. Like any reasonable tech savvy person I use Linux of course, but I’d have trouble suggesting it… lots of people just don’t want to use the termin…

Chromebook, if you're okay with Google having your data.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#23

I have a theory, which I have no way of backing up or testing at all, that the entire slump in the laptop segment is driven by the fact that Windows is just utterly user-hostile garbage, and there aren’t any alternatives really, other than MacOS, which is too tied to Apple. Like any reasonable tech savvy person I use Linux of course, but I’d have trouble suggesting it… lots of people just don’t want to use the termin…

The sad reality is that Linux that e.g. my mom and dad could use day in and day out without any tech support always feels like it's a few years away, and has felt that way for decades now. Linux won the server space, but outside of that, it's a hard sell to suggest anyone not tech savvy should use it. I'm sure there's loads of people who do use it despite the pains anyway, but for the wider audience I don't really see it as a realistic alternative.

Sure, you can use a browser on any distro and pretend it's fine, but the buck stops the moment something as innocent looking as printing or transferring a file to your phone comes up.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#24
post #4

More user hostility. Less user choice. I remember a few years ago on here everyone crowing about the new Microsoft and how it wasn't like the old one. It's notably worse a this point.

I’m very uncomfortable with the degree to which I’ve become dependent on VSCode, GitHub, and Typescript. Microsoft has the same incentives to exploit their users now that they always have.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#25

I recently had to install windows on 2 computers after some years without doing it. Had to spend an entire day debloating the thing. Had to use a handful of tools and powershell scripts to do it. I still can't imagine how they managed to make a context menu open in almost a full second. In Windows 9x on a 200Mhz it was instant. A useless one too, because all the options that matter are in the old one. The only thing…

> The only thing holding me from Linux

I've spent the last 25 years using linux and seeing this statement.

There's always something.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#26
Ultimately, the only reason we need to look at is late stage capitalism (and I say this as someone who believes in the market economy). Windows was the historic money maker at Microsoft, they held all the keys, all the power. The regime is changing however. OSes are more and more commoditised and the money has moved to Cloud and now AI. But there is one rule of the market: you have to post gains every quarter. So what is the Windows team to do? There is no growth to be had anywhere else, so they become increasingly less scrupulous in an effort to squeeze more $$$ out of the product.

This is obviously a race to the bottom. They know, we know it, the market knows it. However, as long as the numbers keep going up, the market will reward this self destructive behaviour and the team will indulge it.

They aren't stupid, they know that these features are annoying, but they'll keep pushing them to find the optimal point between the users being pissed off and profit going up.

The risk is of course that they launch a positive feedback loop of exodus and end up destroying the product in the long term, but in the long term we are all dead and the PMs profiting from these user hostile policies will be long retired...

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#28
I've recently bought a windows laptop for my grandparents and it had W11... It looked bloated af... Had to change some bios settings to install some older version of windows 10 so that the system would look similar to what they know, but I'm thinking next time I'll just install Ubuntu + maybe some skin + rustdesk to help them if needed and deal with it

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#29

I have a theory, which I have no way of backing up or testing at all, that the entire slump in the laptop segment is driven by the fact that Windows is just utterly user-hostile garbage, and there aren’t any alternatives really, other than MacOS, which is too tied to Apple. Like any reasonable tech savvy person I use Linux of course, but I’d have trouble suggesting it… lots of people just don’t want to use the termin…

The sad reality is that Linux that e.g. my mom and dad could use day in and day out without any tech support always feels like it's a few years away, and has felt that way for decades now. Linux won the server space, but outside of that, it's a hard sell to suggest anyone not tech savvy should use it. I'm sure there's loads of people who do use it despite the pains anyway, but for the wider audience I don't really se…

I think we crossed the point where Linux is less shitty than Windows. KDE and XFCE can compete.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#30
post #25

I recently had to install windows on 2 computers after some years without doing it. Had to spend an entire day debloating the thing. Had to use a handful of tools and powershell scripts to do it. I still can't imagine how they managed to make a context menu open in almost a full second. In Windows 9x on a 200Mhz it was instant. A useless one too, because all the options that matter are in the old one. The only thing…

> The only thing holding me from Linux I've spent the last 25 years using linux and seeing this statement. There's always something.

And to give a more Linux-positive spin

"there is always something that holds you... which is actually not that vital in the end once you lose it"

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