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I Will Never Use a Microsoft Account to Log Into My Own PC

extremetech.com

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Re: I Will Never Use a Microsoft Account to Log Into My Own PC

#131

Post by int_19h »

addicted wrote: post #38
codecalec wrote: post #2

This requirement just does not make sense to me. Why would Microsoft even have this requirement? Do they want to force users into an account so it is easier to lead them into Office packages? It can't be for greater data profiles on users since they could do this in other less explicit ways. Microsoft just doesn't have the ecosystem like Apple to make this worthwhile from their point of view or the users.

To be honest, I think it’s as simple as it being a better experience for the type of people who would buy the Home edition. Forcing them to log in with a MS account allows MS to provide a lot of the services people expect using Android or iOS as their primary devices. For one thing, both those devices pretty much require an online account as well. And they contain far more sensitive data. But more importantly, they a…

It already takes a lot of effort to configure Win10 with a local account; so much so that there's basically zero chance of somebody doing it by accident.

Re: I Will Never Use a Microsoft Account to Log Into My Own PC

#133

Post by acapybara »

When Windows 10 came out, the telemetry, MS account features, forced auto updates/reboots made my computer feel like it was no longer my own.

Having used Microsoft OSes since DOS, this was the straw that finally broke the camel's back.

After dabbling in Linux for years, this was motivation to commit 100% to using Linux as my main OS. It was mildly painful at first, but after sticking with it, I would never go back.

Re: I Will Never Use a Microsoft Account to Log Into My Own PC

#134

Post by Bedon292 »

taneq wrote: post #60
addicted wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be honest, I think it’s as simple as it being a better experience for the type of people who would buy the Home edition. Forcing them to log in with a MS account allows MS to provide a lot of the services people expect using Android or iOS as their primary devices. For one thing, both those devices pretty much require an online account as well. And they contain far more sensitive data. But more importantly, they a…

> the type of people who would buy the Home edition I haven't looked particularly into the differences between 'normal' Windows 10 and the other tiers but in the past, 'professional' versions were actually missing things (codecs etc.) that you'd want on a general usage PC.

I am sure there are more, but the only things I know of that are in Pro and not Home are BitLocker and full Hyper-V. You still get WSL2 and Docker using Hyper-V under the hood on Home. There is also the Active Directory support, but unlikely an individual user cares much about that.

I can't really think of anything missing from Pro.

Re: I Will Never Use a Microsoft Account to Log Into My Own PC

#135

Post by int_19h »

tssva wrote: post #29
ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The workaround is to use Linux :)

Great. The workaround is much worse battery usage, screen tearing and a horrible trackpad experience.

Trackpad is silky smooth on Star Labs laptops.

Re: I Will Never Use a Microsoft Account to Log Into My Own PC

#136

Post by andrewnicolalde »

chme wrote: post #89
andrewnicolalde wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regarding screen tearing and trackpad issues, these are largely gone. Wayland has more or less solved the screen tearing issue and I have yet to encounter a poor trackpad experience using a modern machine, in my case an XPS 15 9570.

Wayland is great, however it also makes screen recording more difficult.

True. For "wl-roots"-based compositors like swaywm, check out wf-recorder[1].

[1]https://github.com/ammen99/wf-recorder

Re: I Will Never Use a Microsoft Account to Log Into My Own PC

#137

Post by ajdude »

Retric wrote: post #114
swiley wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> bought something from a shop with no stickiness If you want this you can still have it, you just need to follow a simple rule: Absolutely no non-free non community maintained software ever period.

OSS software isn’t immune to this stuff either. Many projects want to increase the number of people using them. What’s different is the community pushes back on annoying examples where customers are mostly stuck with that they purchased and don’t have a say.

You’re getting downvoted but I’ve seen this even with Firefox and Ubuntu lately. No, I don’t want to log into a web account!

Then you have stuff like this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26114194

Re: I Will Never Use a Microsoft Account to Log Into My Own PC

#138

Post by iso1631 »

sturadnidge wrote: post #71
iso1631 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know about windows, but the comment you're replying to says microsoft encourages you to set up a online account (which I suspect most people outside of a domain would actually want), but allows you to set up a local account. Yes it's a Dark UI pattern, but I have a feeling Apple do the same thing (I haven't set an apple laptop up for 8 years so my memory is vague) Is that incorrect?

According the article, come Windows 11 that will be incorrect.

It's an opinion piece written for clicks. Time will tell if it's right or not.

Re: I Will Never Use a Microsoft Account to Log Into My Own PC

#139

Post by eddieroger »

salamandersauce wrote: post #49
Ducki wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, you don't need an iCloud account to use a mac. Neither do you in order to use an iPhone.

But you do lose a lot of functionality. Especially on the iPhone as there is no real way to add apps without it.

There's no way to add apps, but it still functions as a phone and communication device. Clearly not why someone would buy an iPhone, but it's not the same as being completely unable to progress with the system because one can't login.

Re: I Will Never Use a Microsoft Account to Log Into My Own PC

#140

Post by pschastain »

swiley wrote: post #72
lbriner wrote: post #34

It is sadly part of a dark pattern called "stickiness". You can dress it up as functionally useful or even important but ultimately it is about companies wanting to create enough of a dependency that you have to continue using them, which is anti-competitive. Gone are the days where you bought something from a shop with no stickiness other than good service brought you back. Now there are far too many Marketing Manag…

> bought something from a shop with no stickiness If you want this you can still have it, you just need to follow a simple rule: Absolutely no non-free non community maintained software ever period.

So you don't do mobile? Because I don't know of any truly functional mobile platforms other than Android and iOS, neither of which is community-maintained.
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