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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

#131

Post by bee_rider »

thefz wrote: post #20
bee_rider wrote: post #15

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…

[flagged]

Apple was worse that Microsoft for some time, because they were actually competent enough to lock users out of their devices. Unfortunately MS has improved their code quality to the point that there’s only one work around for their latest attack on their users. At this rate they might completely defeat their users by windows 13 or 14.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#132

Post by cjk2 »

ptx wrote: post #130
HeckFeck wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only thing I can praise is the .NET Core ecosystem. C#, ASP.NET and EF is very comfy for web dev compared to my experiences with Java and its thousand moving parts. That said, I still fear what may come. The decrees from on high concocted by the unscrupulous bugmen that are breathing absolute contempt for their users. Who can ponder their designs while maintaining his conscience?

.NET Core would be great if it weren't tainted by the New Microsoft policy of turning all tools into spyware. Now you have to remember to set DOTNET_CLI_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT=1 everywhere and meticulously ensure that it doesn't get stripped from the environment when launching subprocesses, changing users, etc.

I remember the discussion about that which boiled down to: it’s good for you - shut up.

That was the thing that kicked me over the fence. Open source doesn’t matter if the stewards do not have your best interests at heart.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#133

Post by alkonaut »

chrisandchris wrote: post #37
cjk2 wrote: 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 wonder when Europe starts to stop this and also forces Microsoft to stop users from the hard requirement for an online account. It's about time. I mean, they could make a ton of money by charging users for Windows without tracking/online accounts/bloatware.

I'm guessing that selling OS:es to consumers isn't making a ton of money. Most would come as OEM for a small Windows tax on a new computer. The money is in AppStores, OneDrive subscriptions, Office 356 subs and so on.

And letting people run some sort of no-frills windows where you login as a local account and run your old spreadsheet for 10 years is completely at odds with any kind of strategy that will make money from home users.

I don't like it - but I'm also not disagreeing with the beancounters at ms if this is the conclusion they reached. I have a feeling it's the right call.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#134

Post by bee_rider »

TheCapeGreek wrote: post #35
bee_rider wrote: post #15

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…

I agree. I've been a Linux user since 2017, and in the last year transitioned to an M1 MBP for the battery life (cheaper than buying an inverter+batteries in South Africa with loadshedding). Tried to upgrade to a new machine last month. New-ish (and not name brand) hardware made Linux unusable on it (keyboard & BT wouldn't work), while Windows was passable. After some work I decided to try working on Windows again. H…

I don’t think I could use a MacBook, I enjoy tinkering with my computer too much.

I loathe cellphones, though, so I have an iPhone. It is fine. It belongs to Apple really. Someday maybe it will be easy enough to put together something like a Raspberry Pi cellphone. But, for now, I’ll just rent one from Apple and let them handle everything.

They make fine devices for people who don’t like that type of device. No wonder they are doing so well, people who hate tech is a huge market, and we’re doing our best to expand it every day.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#135

Post by cjk2 »

alkonaut wrote: post #122
cjk2 wrote: 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.

Microsoft is famously a handful of very different and very large companies who don't seem to speak. The DevDiv part is a lot different now than 20 years (or even 10) ago. The other sides of Microsoft are mostly the same as they always were. Microsofts OS division have bet everything on the strategy that "enthusiasts" aren't going to run Windows anyway. It's a segment they never cared about, and nothing indicates they…

I don’t agree with this. You can run macOS without this crap so why can’t you run windows without it? macOS is arguably less enthusiast oriented than windows.

Microsoft is one facade regardless of who is underneath it and they are aligned in user hostility at the moment. Even devdiv is a mess.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#136

Post by short_sells_poo »

irusensei wrote: post #117
short_sells_poo wrote: post #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 wha…

I also suspect one of the driving reasons is to inflate reports. Sony is doing a similar thing by requiring PSN accounts on PC games - its to show their share holders that MAU number go up.

Absolutely. It's just maximizing some sort of metric that ultimately translates into P&L for the PMs. Everything else is largely irrelevant. If the users bitch and moan, but the PM is getting paid more, they'll be incentivised to keep doing what they are doing. The product may end up dead in 10 years time as the userbase is driven away, but by then everyone responsible is long gone.

We can all pontificate about acting differently in their shoes, but I'm honest enough to admit that I wouldn't :D

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#138

Post by xjay »

Windows should be broken up.

"Windows 11 Platform" for applications, drivers, security updates, and gaming. No (forced) Microsoft account. Only security updates.

"Windows 11 Plus" is a subscription model for enhanced features.

What their system requirements tell consumers:

> Windows 11 Pro for personal use and Windows 11 Home require internet connectivity and a Microsoft account during initial device setup. [1]

[1] https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifica...

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#139

Post by chronogram »

account42 wrote: post #92
mrweasel wrote: post #14

Other than being able to gobble up user data and being able to associate it with a person (or at least an email address) and later sell that information, what is Microsoft reasoning for refusing local accounts? This whole obsession with forcing users to create a Microsoft account is really weird. It may provides some features for certain types of users, but I really don't see any reason for forcing a Microsoft accoun…

Some exec at microsoft probably has their promotion depend on user growth and is able to push the Windows team to implement this crap. Things megacorporations do don't really have to make long-term sense for the organization as a whole - they only need to provide a short-term advantage to someone in the hierarchy.

Right. You can retroactively think of all sorts of reasons, and people internally will talk about it and make presentations and plan meetings over it, but it's just a gigantic corporation and it doesn't think, it's a number that can be chased.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#140

Post by haunter »

alkonaut wrote: post #137
haunter wrote: post #127

Windows 11 LTSC just came out last week and no online account needed (also no crapware, no TPM, no Secure Boot etc.)

I assume a new machine with an OEM Windows license doesn't have the possibility to switch it to LTSC?

Not but MS doesn't care about home user piracy either.
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