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Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

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Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#51

Post by pjc50 »

jevgeni wrote: post #10
enitihas wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope, windows phone took the Android approach. Anyways, android is usable without signing into a google account. You can use the Amazon app store (which has most of popular apps), or fdroid or download apk files yourself like windows of old. Windows is a paid product, Android is not. Apart from including ridiculous ads and telemetry some of which can't be disabled, Windows seems to be taking user hosting steps every…

The fact that you have to actively and deliberately fork over cash for Windows, but not for Android, where it's hidden -- that really seems to trip people up.

Not really - the vast majority of Windows installs are just as OEM as Android.

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#53

Post by stOneskull »

speedgoose wrote: post #29
pjmlp wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apparently when a GNU/Linux installation shows messages to try out stuff, it is "spreading the good for the community", or has a modified motd, when one gets a couple of links on the start menu, easily removed by right clicking on them, it is "bloody Microsoft".

While some ads are just links, candy crush is actually installed and being updated regularly even though most people will never ever start it.

i wish it made real candy pour out of the computer

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#54

Post by jevgeni »

Erlich_Bachman wrote: post #12
jevgeni wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, if the software is paid in full, there are no ads.

What version of Windows do people need to buy for it to (right after the installation, with no additional tweaking) have the telemetry keylogger turned off and no ads in start menu and no adware or links to other Microsoft's products there? I've been looking for such a version for a long time.

In no version do you have a "keylogger".

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#55

Post by jevgeni »

alxlaz wrote: post #14
jevgeni wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, if the software is paid in full, there are no ads.

This is not true. I have Win 10 Pro on my work laptop. It's very much "paid in full". Some of the things I paid in full for include Bubble Witch 3 Saga, Candy Crush Saga and Candy Crush Friends, and the Start menu came pre-populated with a bunch of ads for similarly useful apps (edit: among other things). Edit: if someone who's more Windows-savvy than this ol' Unix nerd knows what information I ought to edit out of a…

I also have Win 10 Pro and the maximum I had was, I think, "Install Minecraft" link or something. This is not like Win 10 Home where they tried to keep the ads coming. Which also makes sense, since you are getting a discounted OS.

Going along that route, there is a lot of stuff a default Linux installation bundles, that I don't personally need, so I usually have to do a custom install to have only the stuff I'm comfortable with. Throwing a fit that a product doesn't cater exactly to your particular interests is a bit entitled. You assume that most of Windows consumers don't want those things on their computer.

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#56

Post by _glsb »

alxlaz wrote: post #25
pjmlp wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apparently when a GNU/Linux installation shows messages to try out stuff, it is "spreading the good for the community", or has a modified motd, when one gets a couple of links on the start menu, easily removed by right clicking on them, it is "bloody Microsoft".

I'm not sure how that's relevant here. Does my post say anything about what Ubuntu does being excusable in any way? Edit: also, FWIW, running apt-get upgrade doesn't re-enable the ads in the MOTD :-)

The whataboutism defense is absolutely failing at this point. If there was material criticism on HN of say Ubuntu or other providers for the same stuff Microsoft gets criticized your words might've been credible. But there isn't and they are not.

Pretending to be fair and objective is not the same thing as being fair and objective.

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#57

Post by jevgeni »

simion314 wrote: post #50
pjmlp wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apparently when a GNU/Linux installation shows messages to try out stuff, it is "spreading the good for the community", or has a modified motd, when one gets a couple of links on the start menu, easily removed by right clicking on them, it is "bloody Microsoft".

When Ubuntu does it you will see a ton of complaining, like if it shows you some text and a link that you can disable easily and still people complain, I think people are consistent and you should consider that say Ubuntu is free and Canonical is not profitable where Microsoft is extremely rich and after you paid for the OS they still want to suck more money from you.

In my years on HN I have never seen it on the front page. Ever.

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#58

Post by jevgeni »

ptx wrote: post #39
pjmlp wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Candy crush is not pre-installed, it is just a link to the store, easily removable with right mouse click. Gee, I never saw people complain this way with Solitaire, Mineswepper, GNOME Games Suit, or the dump of floppies they would get on their Atari/Amiga/PC bundles.

The difference is that in one case the developer is adding something purely because they think it might benefit the user, and in the other case the developer is being paid by a third party to do something to the user that they wouldn't otherwise have done.

How is that different from any OEM bundling then?

And also, how would a link to the store track and analyse you?

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#59

Post by jevgeni »

pjc50 wrote: post #51
jevgeni wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The fact that you have to actively and deliberately fork over cash for Windows, but not for Android, where it's hidden -- that really seems to trip people up.

Not really - the vast majority of Windows installs are just as OEM as Android.

Which makes the hypocrisy even more blatant.

Re: Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

#60

Post by jevgeni »

shakna wrote: post #28
pjmlp wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Candy crush is not pre-installed, it is just a link to the store, easily removable with right mouse click. Gee, I never saw people complain this way with Solitaire, Mineswepper, GNOME Games Suit, or the dump of floppies they would get on their Atari/Amiga/PC bundles.

> Gee, I never saw people complain this way with Solitaire, Mineswepper, GNOME Games Suit, or the dump of floppies they would get on their Atari/Amiga/PC bundles. Strange. Especially as those didn't actively run analytics when you run them. Perhaps those two situations aren't completely comparable.

This is very little to do with privacy matters if you look at the comments here.
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