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How Microsoft made it harder to create Windows 10 local accounts
If you're thinking about resetting your Windows PC with a local account, save yourself some frustration and consider upgrading to the Windows 10 May 2019 Update first.
Our experiences with the October 2018 Update nearly convinced us that local accounts were gone for good. They're not, thank goodness, but Out-of-the-Box Experience (OOBE) in that version pushes you particularly hard toward using a Microsoft account. We discovered two workarounds, though, to allow you to log in as you wish.
[...] Over time, Microsoft has tacitly encouraged you ever more to create a Microsoft account, but it's never actually blocked you from creating a local one. It comes damn close in the October 2018 Update, however. Even worse, it begs you to connect your PC to the Internet—but never warns you that once you do, the local account option will never be displayed.
In the May 2019 Update, Microsoft seems to have relaxed its tactics. But only a small fraction of users, or about 6 percent, appear to have access to the friendlier version. That estimate comes from AdDuplex, which tracks versioning as part of its ad network. According to AdDuplex, about a third of Windows users remain on the October 2018 Update, also known as 1809.
Microsoft changes up little elements of Windows from time to time, even "A/B" testing some features with some users and not with others. (Generally this happens more often in the Windows 10 Insider program.) PC makers also tweak their own factory-installed builds of Windows 10. In short, Windows 10 experiences differ by user, by PC, and by the version of Windows 10 they've installed.
With many users still stuck on the October 2018 Update or earlier versions, it's worth knowing that you'll probably want to upgrade straight through to the May 2019 Update if you prefer the local account option.
Remember, Microsoft is hoping to attract a billion users to Windows 10, and it's making money by luring them into its services and subscription model. Because a Microsoft account is the best way to do that, it's worth keeping an eye on how Microsoft "encourages" you to sign up and use one.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 23 2019, @05:04PM
Or because they want to use their computers and don't really give a shit about their computer being "free", especially if the "free" computer stops them from doing what they want to do with it. Or because they don't care if they are ad tracked up the wazoo and the machine wants to call home every five minutes. Or because the software they want to use is made for Windows and has no Linux version. Or because they simply want to use the most popular OS infrastructure currently in use. Or because they have multiple computers and don't want to screw with having to set each one up bur rather have a master cloud source streamline some of that for them.
It's not that I sympathize, I do. I do not use a Microsoft Account on my computers, either, and wish the concept hadn't been born too. But marginalizing those that do like and use it does nothing to fix the situation other than letting you vent your butthurt. (Which can have value too, I suppose). Seeing things in reality, though, might allow one to intelligently try to turn the tide.
Oh, well.