Live data from Hacker News

Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

onmsft.com

61–70 of 96 posts

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

#61
post #58
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Windows stuff is not stored in ROM.

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

#62
post #40
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can use the iCloud or Google Play ones instead.

How can you use these to login to windows? Using a PC offline makes sense for many reasons, taking this away reduces the value of the OS.

By making the point that Microsoft is a follower in this regard, yet the community complains about them as if Apple and Google eco-systems were some kind of angels.

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

#63
post #41

I use Linux, I am pretty ambivalent about Windows, I don't like adware and telemetry in my paid-for software but if they really start doing that honestly that will irritate me enough to start pushing people to Ubuntu when that's possible.

Microsoft has been giving people reasons to switch to Linux for quite a while. They started with the major overhaul of the Office UI. Then they came out with Windows 10. Ubuntu and Libre Office are just so much easier to work with.

Yeah, I have seen that remark when XP came out, then it was Vista, followed up by how Windows 7 would drive everyone into Linux, then was how Windows 8 would do it, ....

Somehow there is a pattern here, meanwhile Steam Hardware survey still shows GNU/Linux desktops at 1% on average.

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

#64
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I will assure you that I seen it on HN(you can search and find proof you don't believe me), articles about the Amazon shortcut, about the SSH ads, about the Ubuntu/Fedora telemetry etc. Now probably Windows related news were submitted more often but this makes sense .

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

#65
post #63
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microsoft has been giving people reasons to switch to Linux for quite a while. They started with the major overhaul of the Office UI. Then they came out with Windows 10. Ubuntu and Libre Office are just so much easier to work with.

Yeah, I have seen that remark when XP came out, then it was Vista, followed up by how Windows 7 would drive everyone into Linux, then was how Windows 8 would do it, .... Somehow there is a pattern here, meanwhile Steam Hardware survey still shows GNU/Linux desktops at 1% on average.

Yes, and most people can't do the most basic administrative tasks on Windows. Still, they stick to Windows. It is irrational.

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

#66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At the moment, it's clear what the direction of travel is.

True, and even in Pro you are prompted to “finish setup” (attach a Microsoft account) according to the Thurrott article. All I can point to is that every other operating system with cloud backup services has gone the same way. It’s hard to backup a local account to the cloud when it’s not synced and once synced, why force users to remember different passwords? Combining accounts does make life easier for most folks..…

Last year I ran through all the old versions of OS/X from 10.1 up to current. It's surprising how many internet services it relied on that were no longer available.

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

#67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You do, you can literally disable gmail from app info. I just tried this on my moto one power and it is totally possible.

On cheaper Android devices that are sold at-cost or below cost, you usually can't. They need to make money on your data with those "value-add" apps, to remain profitable, so they mark ALL apps as "system required", to prevent disabling (i.e. try disabling SystemUI through the UI, it won't let you, the button will be greyed out).

[deleted]

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

#68
post #49
post #4

This might be old news. The “Offline Account” link appears in Windows 10 Pro but not Windows 10 Home. It’s unclear which version this is. https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/222344/microsoft...

Agreed, what they say Microsoft is "starting to export outside NA" is already the norm here in France since at least this summer. If the computer is connected to the network in anyway, there is absolutely no way to install with an offline account. Removing all rj45 and not connecting to the wifi until that step is passed allows to use a local account like before. Still not a path I like to see them take

This almost sounds like they're trying to force a subscription model for Home users at some point. Give away the OS for free for a good while then charge a buck a month to use it. Most will cave to the model to keep using it then they can slowly turn up the fire.

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

#69

If you are not Internet connected during the install, the system will still offer you the option to proceed with the creation of a local account.

This is so wrong. I hope that this type of thing encourages people to look at the alternatives like GenToo or Arch Linux.

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

#70
post #56
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Whataboutism is a logical fallacy even when the "what about" thing doesn't get enough attention. If Ubuntu got more criticism on HN, would the ads you see on Windows become less intrusive, or more appropriate?

But FWIW, Ubuntu absolutely got, and still gets, plenty of criticism for that, even here on HN.

Post reply on HN