Held hostage by Microsoft

[ihrsetrdr]

I shut down my daily driver for cleaning, afterwards I figured I'd boot into Win 12(dual boot system) rather than Linux, to see if it needed updates or something. Well, didn't get very far:

Spoiler

No way to opt out that I can see. Maybe I don't use or want any of Microsoft's apps. No "opt out"? I'm not going to cave in and create a dummy account just to satisfy this mess.

This tactic feels very familiar, I think Apple used to / maybe still does the 'strong-arm' thing to keep it's customers in line. Not gonna happen here tho'!

 

[Nebulous]

Talk about being having a gun held to your head

 

[TerranBrackiatt]

the workaround i've used so far (while installing windows up to 11... is that i don't connect to the internet until after i've created my local user account. so far, it's never prevented me from using Windows. (i'm using Wn11 21H2 22000.739). though i have seen on Youtube that Win11 22H2 is supposed to force use of Microsoft Account (MSA). (i hope not) I can't use Widgets in Win11 because of no MSA)

 

[BugFreak]

If you have an account you can set it up then change it to a local user login after. Otherwise it is an always connected type thing.

 

[EarthDog]

There's your problem... Windows 12...

Joke aside, that's a MS account and required to use Windows (offline accounts?). You can still run an un-activated version, but do need the MS account (you don't have to use the apps, you're using their OS).

EDIT: I guess this is being held hostage... but is it really when you walked into a store with an active hijacking already known to be in progress?

 

[JLK03F150]

Like TerranBrackiatt, I have found that the network should be disconnected during install so it will let you skip the MS login.

They might have changed things with Win 12 though.

 

[Nebulous]

I've had a Hotmail account for decades which I use for this sort of thing. It's one of my garbage accounts

 

[ihrsetrdr]

There's your problem... Windows 12...

Yeah huh.

Let's see, Windows 7,8, 9 10, wait...no Windows 9? Yeah, this IS Windows 12, they just got their version tag wrong!

 

[Robert17]

Same as above. I set up an MS account about 20 or more years ago to get updates to Office and the OS. Since then I've deleted Office (got it for $10, don't ask) as I find Libre Office to work well. As for the OS, I still get the updates but have stalled out at Win10. I like having the OS for gaming but anymore use it irregularly. I've just finished (again) setting up Linux and use it more often than in the past. Since retirement the emails are a trickle but have been using gmail. Could probably port to Proton but have been too lazy to want to change my email with all my contacts.

 

[ihrsetrdr]

After having been 'held hostage' only thing I could do is hit the reset button to get out. I let the system reboot Win 12 11 and this time there was no arm twisting to set up an account. However I decided to reclaim that disc space, which I did as I was upgrading to Ubuntu 22.04 LTS anyway.

Since retirement the emails are a trickle but have been using gmail. Could probably port to Proton but have been too lazy to want to change my email with all my contacts.

I do have a protonmail account, but still keep gmail because of my Android phones.

 

[Robert17]

I'm on Android too and have found the convenience of gmail syncing, but that is slipping away. I got a business email today for the first time in months. Weird. I have a debate bouncing between my ears as to whether to ignore or not. Leaning towards ignore. That's one of the things I like about retirement.

 

[Blaylock]

I'm curious why requiring a M$ email account is viewed as being held hostage but requiring a gmail account for Android is just standard procedure (i.e. not being held hostage)?

In my mind's eye they are identical.

 

[Robert17]

I've never had to update my OS with Googgggleee. Sure, my phone wants to update Android, but not my PC to keep them in everlasting harmony. sarc by the way.

 

[ihrsetrdr]

I'm curious why requiring a M$ email account is viewed as being held hostage but requiring a gmail account for Android is just standard procedure (i.e. not being held hostage)?

In my mind's eye they are identical.

There is a parallel amongst the tech providers (Apple,Google.MS) to use some coercion, in this case I could not proceed further to use my Windows 11 desktop. As mentioned, with a reboot the account requirement ploy was not present. As for Androids and Google, there are opt-out strategies available. I do like and use Google's properties, so rejecting the use of a gmail account would be more academic than practical. Then there's Apple, with their login for iTunes, login in for app store, iCloud etc, and what seems like their inability to store your credentials...it's probably just me, but I find it confusing and frustrating.

 

[Blaylock]

I certainly don't disagree with the frustration factor. Another one to add is the Oculus VR headsets requiring an active FB account (Rift S in my case). Aside from marketplace I haven't 'used' my facebook account in about 3 years.