Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account • Hacker News Board

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

#101

Post by drnick1 » Tue, Oct 07, 2025, 1:14 AM UTC

drnick1 wrote: post #95

Laughing in Arch Linux.

Seriously, though, now that Win10 is being phased out, it’s time for people to wake up and join us in the free world. M$ wants you to throw away your hardware and buy a new computer with Win11. Give them the middle finger, format and install Linux instead.

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

#102

Post by da_chicken » Tue, Oct 07, 2025, 1:14 AM UTC

They've been marching towards this since Windows 8. Sysadmins have said this was coming since then. As soon as they added Microsoft account login integration this is what we all knew they were going to do.

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

#103

Post by neilv » Tue, Oct 07, 2025, 1:14 AM UTC

billfor wrote: post #97

neilv wrote: post #63

I only need Microsoft to run airgapped TurboTax, which for 2025 will require Windows 11. Maybe it's time to switch tax return software.

FreeTaxUSA is great and web based.

Web-based isn't airgapped? Working in tech, I know what absolute slimeballs pretty much any tech company is about privacy and user data today.

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

#104

Post by rowanG077 » Tue, Oct 07, 2025, 1:15 AM UTC

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…

> Maybe someone will develop a new user-focused OS that's somehow compatible with Windows programs.

Nothing as user focused as linux, and it's mostly compatible with windows programs with wine. Important to note though that user focused is not the same thing as easy to use.

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

#105

Post by acidburnNSA » Tue, Oct 07, 2025, 1:15 AM UTC

exabrial wrote: post #90

Why is _anyone_ still using Windows?

A lot of the corporate IT workforce is heavily invested in Microsoft systems. It creates somewhat of a co-dependency.

I only run Linux at home. My mom also runs Linux, though she doesn't really know a lot about it. If I could I would have run only Linux at my previous corporate jobs. But the IT people balk: how will windows defender work in Linux? At one point they did install windows defender on Linux and it ground a fine machine basically to a halt.

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

#106

Post by sersi » Tue, Oct 07, 2025, 1:16 AM UTC

alexchantavy wrote: post #100

exabrial wrote: post #90

Why is _anyone_ still using Windows?

Can't make a custom gaming rig with Mac. Linux gaming isn't quite there yet too.

At this point, there are very few games where I've personally had to switch back to windows. I don't play online though so not impacted by Anti-cheat systems

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

#107

Post by acidburnNSA » Tue, Oct 07, 2025, 1:16 AM UTC

jrnng wrote: post #84

Time for me to go all in on Linux. Ubuntu has been my daily driver on dual boot with windows since MS started using dark patterns to opt in to OneDrive. My next build will be solo boot! My work machine is a Mac though I don't get any say in that.

Good choice! I've been solo boot Linux for years and absolutely love it.

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

#108

Post by r00t- » Tue, Oct 07, 2025, 1:16 AM UTC

rowanG077 wrote: post #104

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…

> Maybe someone will develop a new user-focused OS that's somehow compatible with Windows programs. Nothing as user focused as linux, and it's mostly compatible with windows programs with wine. Important to note though that user focused is not the same thing as easy to use.

I'm a linux fan but calling linux user-focused is insane.

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

#109

Post by ryandrake » Tue, Oct 07, 2025, 1:16 AM UTC

Surely, at the lowest level, there needs to be some kind of a local account. I would imagine ripping out the very concept of a local account to be totally infeasible. As long as that's true, I'd expect there to be a way to create one, even if that way ultimately no longer comes from Microsoft.

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

#110

Post by SapporoChris » Tue, Oct 07, 2025, 1:17 AM UTC

exabrial wrote: post #90

Why is _anyone_ still using Windows?

There are a few applications that simply do not run well enough on Linux. It's easy enough to find a list with an internet search. Mostly graphics and video editing packages, and DRM protection. However I think for a majority of people Linux should work just fine.