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Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

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Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#461

Post by daemin »

Aerroon wrote: post #187
wmf wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this change (and everything in Windows 11) is being driven by the MS Account PM watching telemetry and making number go up.

Their telemetry data didn't seem to help them figure out how important the start menu is for users. I doubt it's going to help them really do anything else either. They might have the data, but they're not using it.

I would wager that most users that left telemetry on are fine with whatever changes Microsoft makes to the operating system and user interface, and that most people that turned telemetry off are the ones which want and need a good start menu and did not want those changes.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#462

Post by omnimus »

hxii wrote: post #459

While my D2D is MacOS and Windows 10, I’m not a newcomer to Linux and I WISH I could just move myself and my wife to Linux instead of waiting until W10 kicks the bucket. But until the experience and process are seamless (or at least much more simplified), I honestly cannot see people “just switching”. I had to jump through SO MANY hoops to stop my case fans from automatically spinning at 100% and getting CoolerContro…

Its a hw lottery. I got random cheap lenovo yoga and never had issue. I run Bazzite dx.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#463

Post by baobun »

naldb wrote: post #344
mythz wrote: post #300

The best thing to happen to Linux Desktop is Windows 11, with perfect timing too as modern Linux has been a joy to use as a daily driver. Normally I'd be unhappy when a sleazy corp forces me to give up on 25 years of muscle memory of using my preferred OS, but I'm thankful they gave me the push I needed to rip off the ad/spyware laced Windows Band-Aid that I only need to do once in my life. It's been over a year sinc…

The best thing to happen to Linux Desktop is not that it has improved but that its biggest competitor has dropped the ball? That’s not really praising it.

I bet you're a blast at parties.

"You say meeting them was the best thing that happened to you? What does that say about your achievements?"

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#464

Post by willis936 »

snovymgodym wrote: post #167
windows2020 wrote: post #94

Not sure Microsoft realizes the damage they're doing to the Windows brand. My first experience with Windows 11 was figuring out some dumb workaround to use a local account. When I think back to Windows 7, the good feeling isn't nostalgia. It was the last user-focused Windows. Maybe someone will develop a new user-focused OS that's somehow compatible with Windows programs. Or better yet, maybe Microsoft will realize v…

I'm not convinced Microsoft cares about the Windows market share in consumer PCs or the small amount of money they make from selling Windows licenses to regular consumers. If they did, Windows wouldn't be so usable unactivated and the MassGravel activation stuff would have been patched already. They built up their almost-monopoly when it mattered in the 90s and the 2000s, and now their market position is basically se…

"How did Microsoft go bankrupt?"

Two ways: slowly then all at once.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#465

Post by UpsideDownRide »

mythz wrote: post #300

The best thing to happen to Linux Desktop is Windows 11, with perfect timing too as modern Linux has been a joy to use as a daily driver. Normally I'd be unhappy when a sleazy corp forces me to give up on 25 years of muscle memory of using my preferred OS, but I'm thankful they gave me the push I needed to rip off the ad/spyware laced Windows Band-Aid that I only need to do once in my life. It's been over a year sinc…

Indeed. I always dabbled with Linux here and there. W11 was the final straw for me as well. I feel like LLMs help a ton too, not only do they make initial troubleshooting much easier, they also are pretty great at generating simple scripts that enhance the system.

I'm so happy to have made the swap, using my system is now much more enjoyable and if I don't like some aspect of it I can change it up with MUCH less effort than in Windows.

Also I'm positively surprised how good gaming on Linux is now. It was always a big blocker to full commitment to Linux.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#466

Post by ale42 »

potwinkle wrote: post #317
magicalhippo wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

RDP. Simply nothing in the same league on Linux. I prefer having a beefy workstation at home and connect to it remotely from a cheaper laptop, as I find laptops are noisy and weak unless you spend a sizable fortune.

why not just use sunshine/moonlight? RDP (and the other junk like X11 forwarding/VNC) has always been too slow for my use-cases. Movies or gaming would bring it to a halt. Meanwhile Moonlight gives me a clean 4k60fps with only ~25ms latency across the country.

Too specific to gaming, and AFAIK NVIDIA-specific. Plus, RDP disconnects the physical console, so the screen stays off and keyboard/mouse can't interfere. There is some software like NX that can blank the screen (actually, make it black or show some silly gradient animation) and inhibit the keyboard/mouse, but the screen stays on; and it's not even by default. Does anybody here know an open-source business-grade remote desktop software for Linux? I'd be really interested to deploy it.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#467

Post by rcxdude »

mort96 wrote: post #432

The stated "reason" makes no sense: > While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use. If they're only worried that their users may end up with an incomplete Windows install, surely the solution is to provide a better way to set up Windows with a loca…

"Fully configured for use" in Microsoft's eyes means that you've turned on all the extra crap they nag you about in the setup screen, which 99% of users who are skipping the account setup also don't want.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#468

Post by wltr »

hxii wrote: post #459

While my D2D is MacOS and Windows 10, I’m not a newcomer to Linux and I WISH I could just move myself and my wife to Linux instead of waiting until W10 kicks the bucket. But until the experience and process are seamless (or at least much more simplified), I honestly cannot see people “just switching”. I had to jump through SO MANY hoops to stop my case fans from automatically spinning at 100% and getting CoolerContro…

As a relatively long-time desktop Linux user, now I approach all hardware makers as ‘oh, loser I’d never buy from’ including NVidia (which support is better on Linux, last time I’ve heard of them). I understand that’s a bit of a bubble, as I was sure Microsoft is irrelevant for many years, and I’m quite surprised each time I hear they’re not bankrupt.

But still, it’s not very difficult mindset that you have to choose from ‘responsible’ (for the lack of a better word) hardware developers. Oftentimes it’s ‘just buy another piece of hardware’ thing. As a grand example, it looks like current M-generation Macs are all awesome and all, but I value Linux so much more that I’d rather have an obviously worse hardware than deal with Windows or even modern-day macOS.

Apart from that, I see zero issues with Linux, it just works. And is very efficient, aesthetically pleasing (mostly), and has not-so-bad UX.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#469

Post by daemin »

The biggest issue I have with Windows insisting that I use a Microsoft Account to log in is that I have a long and complex password set up for the account which is stored in a password manager. I don't want to dumb down that password, I don't want to use biometrics, I don't want to use a passcode or pin to log in as that is arguably less secure. I just want a local account which I can set up a convenient password for.

I'm fine with using online services, I just don't want my online services account being the thing that controls access to my local computers. Especially when it can be locked or deleted by Microsoft for whatever reason.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#470

Post by raxxorraxor »

mort96 wrote: post #432

The stated "reason" makes no sense: > While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use. If they're only worried that their users may end up with an incomplete Windows install, surely the solution is to provide a better way to set up Windows with a loca…

The user isn't in focus here, it is about placing their often quite defunct products and to make people dependent.

These are probably the typical fail-upwards product manager decisions. Maybe Windows will sooner than later go the way of the Xbox.

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