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

extremetech.com

21–30 of 657 posts

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

#21

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.

OneDrive, Edge (if you're into it) and setting sync. What do you mean it does not makes sense? I am not using MS login myself but saying it doesn't make sense is ridiculous. It's exactly same as what Apple does. As for people who say it's required on Windows: It's not. You can create local account during setup, the link is there once you cancel your online login. It's hidden at first, but it's there. You don't even h…

No, it is not. Apple does encourage setting up/associating an Apple ID account, it is not a requirement.

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

#22

This is really a dealbreaker for me, much more than the TPM and recent processor stuff. There must be some workaround :( Edit: Thanks @yourusername, I had missed the part where it's only for the home edition. I'm glad there is still a way.

It was never a requirement. It uses dark UI patterns (You have to click cancel, then there is a tiny link at the bottom that allows you to create local pc admin account with no MS attachment). Media likes to overblow things.

I'm aware yes. It was also possible by not connecting to WiFi or Ethernet while setting up Windows 10. But I thought that this meant that that option would go away with Windows 11. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, all I have is the news to go by!

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

#23
Until the Microsoft account was introduced I could never could on authentication working to mount SMB shares.

My fear is that Microsoft is going to wreck it all in a fit of mindlessness. I wrote them a letter when they were in danger of impulsively stealing TikTok. So many of us depend on their products that we’d be devastated if they destroyed their ecosystem for no good reason. (Someday Microsoft may need to pick a fight with the CCP, but it had better do so for a good reason.)

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

#24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OneDrive, Edge (if you're into it) and setting sync. What do you mean it does not makes sense? I am not using MS login myself but saying it doesn't make sense is ridiculous. It's exactly same as what Apple does. As for people who say it's required on Windows: It's not. You can create local account during setup, the link is there once you cancel your online login. It's hidden at first, but it's there. You don't even h…

No, it is not. Apple does encourage setting up/associating an Apple ID account, it is not a requirement.

God damn it how many times I have to say it: it's not required on Windows as well! You click cancel, then click tiny link at bottom to create local account. You are talking about things you have no idea about man.

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

#25

This is really a dealbreaker for me, much more than the TPM and recent processor stuff. There must be some workaround :( Edit: Thanks @yourusername, I had missed the part where it's only for the home edition. I'm glad there is still a way.

It was never a requirement. It uses dark UI patterns (You have to click cancel, then there is a tiny link at the bottom that allows you to create local pc admin account with no MS attachment). Media likes to overblow things.

I'm not sure this is true anymore. I bought a new laptop, and I could not figure out how to avoid signing in to a Microsoft account without starting over and refusing to set up Wi-Fi. I am quite savvy, but admittedly I had not used a consumer edition of Windows in quite some time. Nothing overblown here; dark patterns ought to be called out loudly.

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

#26
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope, you don't need an account to use a Mac. You can set it up just fine without one. My Mac doesn't have any Apple ID. You can use Android without an account too. I have it set up that way on my phone, I use F-Droid and Aurora Store (in anonymous mode). I previously used MicroG which was amazing but I moved back to OxygenOS for other reasons. But even with full Play Services installed you can use them (and push not…

> And yes I protest against these practices. How?

Well, here... And in every other discussion where it comes up. But also directly to the vendors.

I manage hundreds of Macs at work, and Apple is always pushing us to use VPP (Volume Purchase Program). However, most of the apps we need are not in their store at all, so there is no point. And their 'federated' accounts don't work for us due to arbitrary limitations on Apple's side (Specifically: The UPN must be equal to email). I really don't want every user creating their own account which we don't manage. It's messy for support and the latest Macs lock themselves to the user's account so we can't recover it when it's returned (Activation lock). Also, because all those accounts have to be manually cleaned up if we ever do move to federated accounts. So I've set everything up to not use Apple accounts at all.

So yes my objections have been made clear to Apple. And this is on the work side even, in my personal scope I'm even more against this.

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

#27

Until the Microsoft account was introduced I could never could on authentication working to mount SMB shares. My fear is that Microsoft is going to wreck it all in a fit of mindlessness. I wrote them a letter when they were in danger of impulsively stealing TikTok. So many of us depend on their products that we’d be devastated if they destroyed their ecosystem for no good reason. (Someday Microsoft may need to pick a…

>So many of us depend on their products that we’d be devastated if they destroyed their ecosystem

Don't you think you are already devastated by that dependency?

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

#28

Until the Microsoft account was introduced I could never could on authentication working to mount SMB shares. My fear is that Microsoft is going to wreck it all in a fit of mindlessness. I wrote them a letter when they were in danger of impulsively stealing TikTok. So many of us depend on their products that we’d be devastated if they destroyed their ecosystem for no good reason. (Someday Microsoft may need to pick a…

> So many of us depend on their products that we’d be devastated if they destroyed their ecosystem for no good reason

This is what free software people have been warning against for decades now, and yet governments and big structures still willingly give their hands to be tied instead of allocating some funds to the development of solutions that don't have this problem and would be far more cost-effective in the end.

When will the world wake up?

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

#29

This is really a dealbreaker for me, much more than the TPM and recent processor stuff. There must be some workaround :( Edit: Thanks @yourusername, I had missed the part where it's only for the home edition. I'm glad there is still a way.

The workaround is to use Linux :)

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

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

#30
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was never a requirement. It uses dark UI patterns (You have to click cancel, then there is a tiny link at the bottom that allows you to create local pc admin account with no MS attachment). Media likes to overblow things.

I'm not sure this is true anymore. I bought a new laptop, and I could not figure out how to avoid signing in to a Microsoft account without starting over and refusing to set up Wi-Fi. I am quite savvy, but admittedly I had not used a consumer edition of Windows in quite some time. Nothing overblown here; dark patterns ought to be called out loudly.

I just recently did re-format my gaming PC with latest Win10 and it was possible. Maybe because I have "Pro" version, but it was possible on latest Win10.
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