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

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

#161

Post by hulitu »

fsloth wrote: post #57
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…

"I think it’s as simple as it being a better experience for the type of people who would buy the Home edition. ... allows MS to provide a lot of the services people expect using Android or iOS as their primary devices. This. 100 times. The main compute device people as a population are familiar with is the cellphone/tablet, and usage patterns that differ from this are becoming the odd man out. Consumer tech. Commodit…

> This. 100 times.

> The main compute device people as a population are familiar with is the cellphone/tablet, and usage patterns that differ from this are becoming the odd man out.

(Smart)phones and tablets are not computing devices any more than a refrigerator. You cannot do any real work on them. Even finding a text editor, let alone editing, is a challenge. Other stuff like SW development or CAD/CAE is the same.

> Consumer tech. Commoditization. Etc.

Nothing to do with it. Just pure control and data collection.

> We've come a long way from the 1970's. The computer as a commodity is actually not the same as a computer as a gizmo for the technically minded enthusiast.

We are back in the 1960 with disabled user interfaces. When you need to search the internet to disable dark patterns is the same like reading the source code to check with which options to invoke the shell.

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

#162

Post by alpaca128 »

acapybara wrote: post #133

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.

Same. After my third reinstall of Windows 10 thanks to broken forced updates I fully switched and I don't think I'll ever go back. I lost a lot of software compatibility but gained a sense of freedom, with an OS that doesn't feel like it's actively trying to ruin my day, but just...runs. Without doing anything weird by itself.

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

#163

Post by leppr »

skinkestek wrote: post #83
SamuelAdams wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like comments like this gloss over the many UX issues many Linux distros have. For example the file picker. When you open a new file from the web browser (Firefox usually) you navigate to your file and pick it. Now if you open up another file, it forgot your last opened directory and takes you back to your home or default. On windows and Mac I believe it remembers your last directory. Also saving files in Debi…

I find that compared to the the UX issues of Windows it is fantastic. Obviously this varies from person to person but I have verified already a more than a decade ago that it worked very well with ordinary users as long as they didn't need MS Office or anything like it. And true: Netflix doesn't work but for that I use my phone/tablet that I cast to my TV. You may say: not everyone has a PC and a phone but as far as…

Netflix works fine on Linux. Either enable DRM on Firefox, or install Google Chrome, then use your browser of choice to access https://netflix.com.

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

#164

Post by HelloNurse »

discordance wrote: post #61
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.

You need a Microsoft account to log into Teams, which is integrated into Win11. Teams seems like a big bet for Microsoft, so that's one reason.

Hopefully it will have to be disintegrated for enterprise customers who aren't going to use Microsoft accounts, and presumably for everybody. Antitrust prosecution might also help.

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

#165

Post by ubermonkey »

1337turtle wrote: post #111

If you use Windows and assume you will have any form of privacy or control over the operating system, you are going to have a bad time. Switch to Linux or be okay with Microsoft spying on you. Those are the choices.

Well, there is MacOS, but that would probably require new hardware.

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

#166

Post by spijdar »

heresie-dabord wrote: post #104
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.

This is how Chromebooks work. A Google account is needed to sign-in. The motive is not mysterious -- I don't believe it is security , it is pushing free services to collect more data. We all know that selling people's data is deliriously profitable. Of course, people will create less-attributable accounts.

Ironically, even Chromebooks allow you to use a guest account, while you absolutely must use a Microsoft account on Win11.

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

#167

Post by okamiueru »

badsectoracula wrote: post #56
axelroze wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Steam Proton and Soldier runtime do wonders. I am playing Witcher 3 through it. Using mods. No lags or crashes.

The annoying bit with those is that they are Steam only. I try to avoid Steam and instead buy from GOG because they are DRM-free and i keep offline copies of all of my games, but Wine still (just tried yesterday the version Void Linux installs in a VM) seems to have issues even with slightly older games. There used to be a way to run Proton outside of Steam but i think it is now discouraged.

It's not impossible to run gog games through the proton compatibility layer of steam. In short:

1. Download gog install files into the same directory

2. Add the install executable as a non-steam game, and enable proton compatibility before starting it up.

3. Run the installer and complete the installation. Gog installers typically give the option to run the game from the installer, but that will only work once.

4. Find the path of the installed game, and the working directory of that executable by searching in ~/.steam

5. Edit the entry created from 2. with this exec path and working dir, and look up possible args from protondb.com

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

#168

Post by hulitu »

cmiles74 wrote: post #85
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…

Password recovery seems like another big reason to push this. Many consumers don't really have any tech support, aside from vendors like Dell or HP. With an MS account, Microsoft can manage this process.

How about security ? If MS needs to know your password than you can leave your computer without any password. Security is the same. Or you never heard of Solar Winds ?

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

#169

Post by joejacket »

ukyrgf wrote: post #153
nickjj wrote: post #117

I know the post is about Windows 11 but I installed Windows 10 for someone on a laptop about 2 months ago and it had the most crazy dark pattern I've ever seen to be able to proceed past the installation screen without a Microsoft account. Short of not connecting to the internet first the only way I saw where it was possible to create an offline account was to first attempt to sign in using an incorrect password with…

I'm at a small business that gets maybe 2 dozen new computers a year but line 1 on my setup list is "DO NOT PLUG IN THE ETHERNET CABLE" I can't believe it's come to this...

This is standard procedure for everything, it's been that way with ’smart' TVs for years.

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

#170

Post by ubermonkey »

cm2187 wrote: post #68
ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #4

I don't really get the selective targeted hate. I don't like this move either but you need an account to use a Mac, iPhone or Android and nobody seems to fuss about it. So why only target Microsoft for doing what their competitors have been doing for a along time and why not protest against Apple and Google for making this practice the norm in the first place through their monopoly in the mobile space?

I am equally annoyed by all of Apple’s dark patterns. Every time I update iOS I know I will have to go through a dozen of modals nagging me for Apple services. Android and iOS are in a race to the bottom in term of user experience and privacy invasion. Should I be happy that microsoft is keen to join them?

I just don't see these "intrusions" when I upgrade iOS. What are you referring to?
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