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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

#231
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 just installed Windows 10 on a laptop for my mom. On the account setup screen there's a little skip button to create a local account without a Microsoft account.

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

#232
post #72
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.

For most people it would mean giving up far more than they would gain.

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

#233

This makes me want to move back to Linux, but last time I tried Ubuntu (2020) there were lots of little annoyances. Off the top of my head: - Screen tearing. I Googled around and installed the Nvidia drivers for my laptop, but it never went away. - No detection of tablet mode. - No auto screen rotation. - Slow Blender rendering. Probably a PEBKAC with my driver setup, but it just worked in Windows and it was easy to…

I'm a long-time Linux user and my job is to develop open source software primarily used on Linux. My suggestion to you is to get a Mac. I'm not aware of any Linux distros that are suitable for non-developers. I wish it was otherwise, but it just isn't.

Actually I put Linux on my mother's laptop. Since then the amount of support calls got down to nothing. Her use is of course limited to just web browsing / email.

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

#234
post #183

Fun fact, password for my Microsoft account sits in my password manager. If I can't log into my PC, I can't access that password. And no, I am not going to remember that, or change it to something simpler. (Yes I know about entropy and correct horse battery staple!)

This is why I haven't taken the dive either. Though, is this why Microsoft crested Hello? https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/sign-in-to-your-...

Might be, I don't know. But I am not going to use biometrics either, for various reasons.

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

#235
post #227

I wonder if ReactOS[0] will eventually catch-up in business environments where this kind of bullshit is less/not acceptable. [0] https://reactos.org/

It seems as though this bullshit is perfectly acceptable in business environments. Hell, many businesses are mandating that all employees have a Microsoft account anyway (Office 365). Why would business environments care that their workers' have to make a Microsoft account to log into their work laptops? IT surely has remote control of it and can get them access if they get locked out.

The people who are MOST upset about this are the HN crowd. We're control freaks who are used to Linux, and the thought of Microsoft making us log into their filthy servers to run our own PCs maddens us.

So yeah, ReactOS may become a viable techie OS at some point. I encourage everyone to contribute to it if possible, as it is open-source.

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

#236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you really need Windows? Our family laptop runs Linux, it does Teams for school, MineCraft, Netflix. You could do Office365 from a browser, although I admit, it is less than ideal. But it seems like you are almost at the emotional state make the jump... what's holding you back? I bought a Dell Latitude E5450 for 350 eur about 2 years back. It was used but looked new. It came with Win 10 Pro, which sits on my NAS a…

Roblox. I had my kids on linux originally, but there's no linux version of Roblox, and the proposed workarounds I found were unreliable, out of date, or more work than I was willing to invest in.

Probably not overly helpful, but there was a post yesterday about Roblox working on Wine.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27651224

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

#237
post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Plenty of community-maintained software for it?

Yeah! The entire desktop Linux software library is available and that has a lot of really good, community maintained software.

Is much of that library good on mobile?

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

#238
post #146
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…

Indeed, a few months ago Microsoft changed Windows 10 so that the only way to install it with a local account is to disconnect the LAN cable

I had to perform a fresh re-install on a laptop earlier this year and even had to go to the lengths of physically removing the WiFi card from the machine before I could get the local account option to appear in the installer. What an absolute fricken waste of time.

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

#239
post #231
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 just installed Windows 10 on a laptop for my mom. On the account setup screen there's a little skip button to create a local account without a Microsoft account.

Your computer was connected to the internet and you're using relatively recent install media? I'm asking because I haven't seen that behavior in years.

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

#240
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Setup icloud, setup apple wallet, setup apple music service, etc. And then I am getting nagged again regularly for apple music service when playing my mp3s.
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