4 ms·

This is obviously done on purpose. In the same way that Google ties users to Android devices when you add a Gmail account, MS takes every opportunity to assign

This is obviously done on purpose. In the same way that Google ties users to Android devices when you add a Gmail account, MS takes every opportunity to assign their online account whenever they catch you off guard (installing a local Teams app instead of joining through the browser, signing into Minecraft at your school etc.). At this point you need to go through all the steps of dissociating your account from these devices. Sometimes they will reassign them after an update, so you need to watch out. For that reason I never use MS online apps on my private devices and whenever I need to sign in online, I always use the private mode or a dedicated Firefox container.

alentred 4y ago
Although I agree that companies (Microsoft, Google, etc.) deliberately seek to authenticate you across the web, I do not think that the general mess with Microsoft authentication is on purpose. It looks like generations of implementations (and likely generations of product management and development teams) layering on top of each other, "replacing" the "old" systems only to do the half of it, and integrating with acquired products. Seen from outside, it just doesn't look like there exists a single team that understands the authentication and permission system end-to-end.
- makeitdouble 4y ago
  > I do not think that the general mess with Microsoft authentication is on purpose. Microsoft has been dealing with online identity almost since the consumer web exists. MSN launched in 1995, Outlook was the poster child of webmail, ActiveDirectory is the behemoth of enterprise user management. I don’t see Hanlon’s razor relevant when it’s on one of their core competency. They at least committed to throw part of their users under the bus to pursue their goals.
  - gbear605 4y ago
    As I see it, Microsoft has become so incompetent as an organization that they can no longer be said to have core competencies.
- rightbyte 4y ago
  Ye exactly. The intent was probably to make their spyware login front work good. It would speed up adaption. I think some people are mixing up Hanlon's razor with "if it is bad, the malice part can't be on purpose".

alentred 4y ago

Although I agree that companies (Microsoft, Google, etc.) deliberately seek to authenticate you across the web, I do not think that the general mess with Microsoft authentication is on purpose. It looks like generations of implementations (and likely generations of product management and development teams) layering on top of each other, "replacing" the "old" systems only to do the half of it, and integrating with acquired products. Seen from outside, it just doesn't look like there exists a single team that understands the authentication and permission system end-to-end.

makeitdouble 4y ago
> I do not think that the general mess with Microsoft authentication is on purpose. Microsoft has been dealing with online identity almost since the consumer web exists. MSN launched in 1995, Outlook was the poster child of webmail, ActiveDirectory is the behemoth of enterprise user management. I don’t see Hanlon’s razor relevant when it’s on one of their core competency. They at least committed to throw part of their users under the bus to pursue their goals.
- gbear605 4y ago
  As I see it, Microsoft has become so incompetent as an organization that they can no longer be said to have core competencies.
rightbyte 4y ago
Ye exactly. The intent was probably to make their spyware login front work good. It would speed up adaption. I think some people are mixing up Hanlon's razor with "if it is bad, the malice part can't be on purpose".