4 ms·

Since there's a PM here from Microsoft, I've got a couple questions regarding the requirement to "sign in with your Microsoft account": With all your branding

by fotbr 9y ago

Since there's a PM here from Microsoft, I've got a couple questions regarding the requirement to "sign in with your Microsoft account": With all your branding changes over the years, what's considered a Microsoft account today? My old Hotmail account, that existed from the days before Microsoft bought Hotmail? I think it's still alive, but I haven't logged in in the better part of a decade to find out. The accounts created over the years for various Xbox machines? I think those are still around, but I doubt I could get into them at this point. The "Live" account I had to create for MSDN many years ago? Once that job and associated need for MSDN ended I've not logged in to see if it's still around. Which one(s) should I try to find login information for to use? Furthermore, why must I sign in in the first place for the free version? I can understand signing in to associate the install with a paid version with extra features, but I see no reason to require it for free versions without any paid features.

BugsJustFindMe 9y ago
> My old Hotmail account, that existed from the days before Microsoft bought Hotmail? I think it's still alive, but I haven't logged in in the better part of a decade to find out. I have some bad news for you... This is literally the reason I signed up with gmail when it came out. Microsoft used to have a log-in-within-30-days-or-we-delete-everything policy for Hotmail. Maybe it was even 90 days.
- umeshunni 9y ago
  It was 30 days as I found out the hard way sometimes in the early 2000s while traveling with no internet access for 2 months.
  - bredren 9y ago
    I too, lost data from this policy.
legohead 9y ago
I've essentially lost my Microsoft account. My password doesn't work, and it wont email me the security code. I try the "alternate email" option, which does work, but when I answer the validation questions it fails -- doesn't believe I am who I say I am, I guess. And when I try to contact support, it wont let me contact a person unless I login to my Microsoft account...
yuhong 9y ago
AFAIK, it was called ".NET Passport" a decade ago, meaning almost all of them are Microsoft Accounts.
RajenK 9y ago
Hi there! To answer your first question, it's any of the above :) If you use Hotmail, Outlook.com, Xbox Live, etc. they all are associated with a Microsoft Account. You can also associate your existing e-mail address, which you regularly use with a Microsoft Account, if you prefer that. As for why, it's really a good way for us to stay in touch with you and keep you updated about what's new, help you get started, and make you successful in general. Visual Studio Community on Windows has the same behavior for the same reasons. Hope that helps!
- jhasse 9y ago
  > As for why, it's really a good way for us to stay in touch with you and keep you updated about what's new, help you get started, and make you successful in general. Really nice way of saying "to send you spam" :D
Siecje 9y ago
When I tried Windows 8 when it came out. I created a Microsoft account because I didn't know that I could use any of my old hotmail/Xbox logins.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
wluu 9y ago
Signing in also allows you to sync VS extensions via the Roaming Extension manager [1] and it also allows you to sync settings [2]. [1] https://github.com/Microsoft/visualstudio-docs/blob/master/docs/ide/whats-new-in-visual-studio.md#manage-your-extensions-with-roaming-extensions-manager https://github.com/Microsoft/visualstudio-docs/blob/master/d... [2] https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/ide/synchronized-settings-in-visual-studio https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/ide/synchroniz...
- flukus 9y ago
  I've always found that a negative feature, I use different extensions and settings (tabs and Egyptian braces) at home. And if you've got a corporate MSDN license then the login will be different anyway.
  - wluu 9y ago
    That's true. I found it useful when I recently paved my machine and had to reinstall everything. It's also helpful when you move to a new version of VS. And yeah, I use a different login between home and work too.
kalleboo 9y ago
Skype accounts are also Microsoft accounts these days

by fotbr 9y ago

BugsJustFindMe 9y ago

> My old Hotmail account, that existed from the days before Microsoft bought Hotmail? I think it's still alive, but I haven't logged in in the better part of a decade to find out. I have some bad news for you... This is literally the reason I signed up with gmail when it came out. Microsoft used to have a log-in-within-30-days-or-we-delete-everything policy for Hotmail. Maybe it was even 90 days.

umeshunni 9y ago
It was 30 days as I found out the hard way sometimes in the early 2000s while traveling with no internet access for 2 months.
- bredren 9y ago
  I too, lost data from this policy.

legohead 9y ago

I've essentially lost my Microsoft account. My password doesn't work, and it wont email me the security code. I try the "alternate email" option, which does work, but when I answer the validation questions it fails -- doesn't believe I am who I say I am, I guess. And when I try to contact support, it wont let me contact a person unless I login to my Microsoft account...

yuhong 9y ago

AFAIK, it was called ".NET Passport" a decade ago, meaning almost all of them are Microsoft Accounts.

RajenK 9y ago

Hi there! To answer your first question, it's any of the above :) If you use Hotmail, Outlook.com, Xbox Live, etc. they all are associated with a Microsoft Account. You can also associate your existing e-mail address, which you regularly use with a Microsoft Account, if you prefer that. As for why, it's really a good way for us to stay in touch with you and keep you updated about what's new, help you get started, and make you successful in general. Visual Studio Community on Windows has the same behavior for the same reasons. Hope that helps!

jhasse 9y ago
> As for why, it's really a good way for us to stay in touch with you and keep you updated about what's new, help you get started, and make you successful in general. Really nice way of saying "to send you spam" :D

Siecje 9y ago

When I tried Windows 8 when it came out. I created a Microsoft account because I didn't know that I could use any of my old hotmail/Xbox logins.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

wluu 9y ago

Signing in also allows you to sync VS extensions via the Roaming Extension manager [1] and it also allows you to sync settings [2]. [1] https://github.com/Microsoft/visualstudio-docs/blob/master/docs/ide/whats-new-in-visual-studio.md#manage-your-extensions-with-roaming-extensions-manager https://github.com/Microsoft/visualstudio-docs/blob/master/d... [2] https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/ide/synchronized-settings-in-visual-studio https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/ide/synchroniz...

flukus 9y ago
I've always found that a negative feature, I use different extensions and settings (tabs and Egyptian braces) at home. And if you've got a corporate MSDN license then the login will be different anyway.
- wluu 9y ago
  That's true. I found it useful when I recently paved my machine and had to reinstall everything. It's also helpful when you move to a new version of VS. And yeah, I use a different login between home and work too.

kalleboo 9y ago

Skype accounts are also Microsoft accounts these days