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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

#61

Post by discordance »

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.

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

#62

Post by fh973 »

yourusername wrote: post #12
GekkePrutser wrote: post #6

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.

Win11 pro will not be subject to this requirement.

References? Is there some sort of official statement?

Windows 10 was also not subject to this requirement, yet you're harassed when you try to keep your local login.

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

#63

Post by cm2187 »

extropy wrote: post #47
_trampeltier wrote: post #31

There are also isolated networks in industry. Wonder how such things should work in future.

There will always be an enterprise and LTS versions without online requirement

No our nuclear facilities are running on Home editions!

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

#65

Post by itronitron »

I wiped a brand new Windows laptop just last week and installed Linux because Windows 'S' Mode wouldn't let me install Firefox without a Windows account. Very happy with the change to linux and I don't have to worry about accidentally saving personal documents to the OneDrive cloud.

Product companies should take note, I'd probably own a few more electronics if they didn't require that consumers 'create an account' or associate an email address in order to use the thing.

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

#66

Post by tonyedgecombe »

iso1631 wrote: post #35
thelibrarian wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

I don't know about windows, but the comment you're replying to says microsoft encourages you to set up a online account (which I suspect most people outside of a domain would actually want), but allows you to set up a local account. Yes it's a Dark UI pattern, but I have a feeling Apple do the same thing (I haven't set an apple laptop up for 8 years so my memory is vague) Is that incorrect?

>but allows you to set up a local account

Not on Windows 11 Home, using an online account has become mandatory.

>Yes it's a Dark UI pattern, but I have a feeling Apple do the same thing

Skipping it is a little clearer in macOS.

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

#67

Post by andrewnicolalde »

tssva wrote: post #29
ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The workaround is to use Linux :)

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

Regarding screen tearing and trackpad issues, these are largely gone. Wayland has more or less solved the screen tearing issue and I have yet to encounter a poor trackpad experience using a modern machine, in my case an XPS 15 9570.

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

#68

Post by cm2187 »

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?

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

#69

Post by blendergeek »

addicted wrote: post #38
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.

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…

> 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.

The online account option let's MS provide these services. Forcing the account prevents users from opting out. Even on iOS, it is possible to use an iPhone without an Apple account. An iPhone b without an Apple account is severely handicapped by the inability to sideload apps. On Android it is not hard to set up an account without logging in to Google.

MS could (and should) allow the same.

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

#70

Post by SamuelAdams »

BatteryMountain wrote: post #46
GekkePrutser wrote: post #6

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.

Fedora, Ubuntu, Mint, PopOS, Manjaro/Arch. Spend the time to get acquainted, soon you will see you can do almost everything you need on linux (and more) that you can on Windows/macOS, but with less mental overhead (after you are used to linux, it really is simpler).

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 Debian is a bit of a pain. I think it keeps searching instead of actually typing the file name when you save a new word doc from libre office or another application.

Plus other services, like Netflix and Hulu, may not work out of the box. You’ll have to find a workaround but I think their official stance is still “Linux is not a supported platform”.

Don’t get me wrong Linux is great and it’s in a wonderful spot compared to 10 years ago. But it still does not have the polish or UX that users from windows and Mac expect in an operating system.

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