9 ms·

Microsoft apparently removing ‘Offline Accounts’ for international Windows users

75 points by vezycash 7y ago

StanislavPetrov 7y ago
I've has MS-DOS and/or Windows as one of my boot options on all of my systems for gaming purposes for 30+ years, but the day they mandate a Microsoft account is the day I finally ditch them all together.
- pjmlp 7y ago
  You can use the iCloud or Google Play ones instead.
  - xylol 7y ago
    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.
    - pjmlp 7y ago
      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.
      - StanislavPetrov 7y ago
        I don't use Apple or Google services.
        pjmlp 7y ago
        So using a feature phone.
        deleted 7y ago
        [deleted]
        StanislavPetrov 7y ago
        Flip phone. I don't believe in trading my privacy for convenience, much less being coerced into doing so by Microsoft or any other corporation.
timwis 7y ago
So basically the android approach
- enitihas 7y ago
  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 day.
  - jevgeni 7y ago
    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.
    - enitihas 7y ago
      And it's not hidden in windows, where you have candy crush pre-installed and ads in the start menu. So in windows, you fork over cash, give your data, and then have to seem some ads.
      - pjmlp 7y ago
        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.
        shakna 7y ago
        > 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.
lstamour 7y ago
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-made-major-setup-changes-in-windows-10-version-1909 https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/222344/microsoft...
- tonyedgecombe 7y ago
  At the moment, it's clear what the direction of travel is.
  - lstamour 7y ago
    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...
    - soup10 7y ago
      Also its brilliant business because when cloud goes out fashion(as it does cyclically) they can sell the same software again 'redesigned' for standalone/local usage.
    - Kuinox 7y ago
      The first an article about this article appeared, they had changed the button name. I've recently setuped another Windows, Pro edition, and they did revert the button name to "Or make an offline account". This button is available when they ask you to connect or create a microsoft account in the setup.
    - tonyedgecombe 7y ago
      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.
RaleyField 7y ago
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.
- jevgeni 7y ago
  Well, if the software is paid in full, there are no ads.
  - Erlich_Bachman 7y ago
    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.
    - vezycash 7y ago
      The version with least telemetry is Enterprise Version. It's not sold to individuals. Only way is torrent. Although some once wrote here that he got his off eBay.
    - jevgeni 7y ago
      In no version do you have a "keylogger".
      - Erlich_Bachman 7y ago
        Ok sure they call it "telemetry". It still sends the keys I press to some remote server for "analysis". What difference does the name make?
        jevgeni 7y ago
        It sends the keys you type in Cortana search, AFAIK. Thinking it logs all your keys is another kind of tinfoil hat crazy.
jsjddbbwj 7y ago
Unplug the network cable before you launch the installer. This was discussed too https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22382710 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22382710
PeterStuer 7y ago
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.
- sys_64738 7y ago
  This is so wrong. I hope that this type of thing encourages people to look at the alternatives like GenToo or Arch Linux.
  - timbit42 7y ago
    You mean it is wrong of Microsoft, not that the comment you replied to is wrong.
qalmakka 7y ago
Happened to me two weeks ago while installing windows 10 1909 Home - I just unplugged the ethernet cable and it let me create an offline account... It's still crap and not acceptable though.
TazeTSchnitzel 7y ago
I wonder if this would be illegal in the EEA under GDPR? Tricking the user into “consenting” is not really obtaining consent.
merricksb 7y ago
Already discussed yesterday: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22382710 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22382710 (132 points/129 comments)
jinushaun 7y ago
Recently ran into this “bug”. Fixed it by unplugging my network cable during installation. I’m normally a Mac user, but I understand why so many people hate Windows 10. Hard to make the argument this benefits users.

75 points by vezycash 7y ago

I've has MS-DOS and/or Windows as one of my boot options on all of my systems for gaming purposes for 30+ years, but the day they mandate a Microsoft account is the day I finally ditch them all together.

pjmlp 7y ago
You can use the iCloud or Google Play ones instead.
- xylol 7y ago
  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.
  - pjmlp 7y ago
    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.
    - StanislavPetrov 7y ago
      I don't use Apple or Google services.
      - pjmlp 7y ago
        So using a feature phone.
        deleted 7y ago
        [deleted]
        StanislavPetrov 7y ago
        Flip phone. I don't believe in trading my privacy for convenience, much less being coerced into doing so by Microsoft or any other corporation.

timwis 7y ago

So basically the android approach

enitihas 7y ago
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 day.
- jevgeni 7y ago
  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.
  - enitihas 7y ago
    And it's not hidden in windows, where you have candy crush pre-installed and ads in the start menu. So in windows, you fork over cash, give your data, and then have to seem some ads.
    - pjmlp 7y ago
      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.
      - shakna 7y ago
        > 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.

lstamour 7y ago

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-made-major-setup-changes-in-windows-10-version-1909 https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/222344/microsoft...

tonyedgecombe 7y ago
At the moment, it's clear what the direction of travel is.
- lstamour 7y ago
  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...
  - soup10 7y ago
    Also its brilliant business because when cloud goes out fashion(as it does cyclically) they can sell the same software again 'redesigned' for standalone/local usage.
  - Kuinox 7y ago
    The first an article about this article appeared, they had changed the button name. I've recently setuped another Windows, Pro edition, and they did revert the button name to "Or make an offline account". This button is available when they ask you to connect or create a microsoft account in the setup.
  - tonyedgecombe 7y ago
    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.

RaleyField 7y ago

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.

jevgeni 7y ago
Well, if the software is paid in full, there are no ads.
- Erlich_Bachman 7y ago
  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.
  - vezycash 7y ago
    The version with least telemetry is Enterprise Version. It's not sold to individuals. Only way is torrent. Although some once wrote here that he got his off eBay.
  - jevgeni 7y ago
    In no version do you have a "keylogger".
    - Erlich_Bachman 7y ago
      Ok sure they call it "telemetry". It still sends the keys I press to some remote server for "analysis". What difference does the name make?
      - jevgeni 7y ago
        It sends the keys you type in Cortana search, AFAIK. Thinking it logs all your keys is another kind of tinfoil hat crazy.

jsjddbbwj 7y ago

Unplug the network cable before you launch the installer. This was discussed too https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22382710 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22382710

PeterStuer 7y ago

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.

sys_64738 7y ago
This is so wrong. I hope that this type of thing encourages people to look at the alternatives like GenToo or Arch Linux.
- timbit42 7y ago
  You mean it is wrong of Microsoft, not that the comment you replied to is wrong.

qalmakka 7y ago

Happened to me two weeks ago while installing windows 10 1909 Home - I just unplugged the ethernet cable and it let me create an offline account... It's still crap and not acceptable though.

TazeTSchnitzel 7y ago

I wonder if this would be illegal in the EEA under GDPR? Tricking the user into “consenting” is not really obtaining consent.

merricksb 7y ago

Already discussed yesterday: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22382710 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22382710 (132 points/129 comments)

jinushaun 7y ago

Recently ran into this “bug”. Fixed it by unplugging my network cable during installation. I’m normally a Mac user, but I understand why so many people hate Windows 10. Hard to make the argument this benefits users.