Image description: Elon Musk & X @elonmusk • 42m Just bought a new PC laptop and it won’t let me use it unless I create a Microsoft account, which also means giving their Al access to my computer! This is messed up. There used to be an option to skip signing into or creating a Microsoft account. Are you seeing this too? This is not cool of Microsoft.

(Originally published on mastodon.social: 2024-02-25)

  • Agent641@lemmy.world
    111·
    3 months ago

    Just buy the company and change it yourself Elon!

    Whats the matter, are you too poor to buy a widdle software company?

    • SlopppyEngineer@lemmy.world
      50·
      3 months ago

      Elon proceeds to buy Microsoft. One month later an account for a paying subscription with Microsoft is required to set up the laptop.

      • Breezy@lemmy.world
        18·
        3 months ago

        Microsoft is valued at 3 trillion dollars. Even if we go back to just under a single trillion during covid, elon couldnt afford it. I dont think theres anyone on this planet who could buy half of microsoft, none the less the whole company.

      • nexussapphire@lemm.ee
        4·
        3 months ago

        The best part is I think it replaced the user libraries folder with OneDrive without asking. If you disable OneDrive it could delete the files off your computer or dump it into the root home folder for that user. It did that when I used it last at least.

        • Professor_Piddles@sh.itjust.works
          5·
          3 months ago

          This sort of happened to me at work. We got a new laptop amidst a massive time crunch, and didn’t configure anything before installing our instrument’s software and getting to work. At the time, we didnt have a paid 365 account or anything, so we were just saving data in folders on the desktop at first. A couple months later, all the files, folders and launchers on the desktop disappeared, replaced by a single icon called “where are my files”. It was a web link that directed us to buy 365 or else lose all our files…that we thought we were saving LOCALLY.

          • nexussapphire@lemm.ee
            2·
            3 months ago

            We all have our limits, I bailed out as soon as Linux supported a good amount of games. I wanted to get out before I got burned.

    • AbsolutelyNotNick@lemmy.ca
      53·
      3 months ago

      Even on the Pro edition, on the most recent version it doesn’t have an option up front for a local account.

      Apparently the workaround, for now at least, is to try signing in with a@a.com and a random password. It then tells you the account is locked due to incorrect sign in attempts, and gives you an option for a local account.

      • potustheplant@feddit.nl
        32·
        3 months ago

        If you set it up wothout an internet connection you will not be forced to log in. That workaround has worked for like a decade.

        • M500@lemmy.ml
          28·
          3 months ago

          About a year ago an update came out where even without an internet connection it wouldn’t even let me get past the sign in screen. It just told me to connect to the internet to proceeds or something. Not sure if that’s still a thing or not.

            • M500@lemmy.ml
              10·
              3 months ago

              I used some command prompt to get around it, so I’m not saying it’s impossible. but unless you are decently techy, you will not know to do it.

              • potustheplant@feddit.nl
                1·
                3 months ago

                The guides I found give you every single detail you’d need to know. If you know how to read, you can use the terminal bypass method.

                • M500@lemmy.ml
                  1·
                  3 months ago

                  Right, but my mom and dad would not even think that there is a way around it. They wouldn’t even know to look.

            • no banana @lemmy.world
              4·
              3 months ago

              I did it the other day without issue. Went back to fedora when I realized that the middle click could only do either of its functions in windows on my ThinkPad, while it can do both in Linux.

          • CaptDust@sh.itjust.works
            10·
            3 months ago

            Confirming, in December I didn’t have Wi-Fi drivers and thus couldn’t login to install the Wi-Fi drivers.

          • potustheplant@feddit.nl
            5·
            3 months ago

            It is but here’s still a workaround. If you open the windows terminal on the login screen, disable the internet connection and run “oobeypassnro” you will not be forced to log in.

        • Agent641@lemmy.world
          9·
          3 months ago

          Microsoft: May we please fuck with you endlessly with these pointless settings?

          Me making Trollface.jpg: Sorry bruv it’s the year 2024 and I still don’t have an internet connection.

          Microsoft: Oh ok nevermind then!

          • potustheplant@feddit.nl
            3·
            3 months ago

            True. There’s still a workaround though. If you open the windows terminal on that screen, disable the internet connection and run “oobeypassnro” you will not be forced to log in.

      • iterable@sh.itjust.works
        2·
        3 months ago

        I would assume it was for work and he would have it connected to a domain. With group policy you can set to use local accounts as default if I remember correctly.

        • otacon239@feddit.de
          24·
          3 months ago

          When was the last time you installed Linux? I’m done with a fresh install on most popular distros in 30 minutes or less.

          • Agent641@lemmy.world
            3·
            3 months ago

            Last week, Linux mint (Green ubuntu) still can’t get the battery to detect and I dont know why. If I unplug the laptop, it turns off immediately. Battery icon shows up, shows “Charging” but stays at 0%

            Battery was working in Windows the day prior.

            HP laptop from ~2016

            • tooclose104@lemmy.ca
              2·
              3 months ago

              I work with mostly Dell laptops and see this all the time on Win10 so 2 grains of salt, but: Usually reseating the battery does the trick, if not the battery + ram + hd/SSD.

  • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
    52·
    3 months ago

    Just tried to post to Xwitter. It won’t let me use it unless I create a Xwitter account. Which also means letting twitter cookes and algorithms track me across their site and push media at me.

    Hypocrite. Doesn’t matter if it’s AI or algorithms, the end result is the same.

    • meowMix2525@lemm.ee
      16·
      3 months ago

      Forget posting, you cant even search or view the replies to a single post without logging in like you could before Musk’s takeover

    • dev_null@lemmy.ml
      5·
      3 months ago

      While valid criticism of Twitter, this is not hypocritical. There is a difference between a website that doesn’t owe you anything not letting you in, and a device you own and paid money for, not letting you in. A comparable scenario would be Twitter deciding that paying users can no longer access the website (because it’s now mobile app-only or whatever).

      • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
        1·
        3 months ago

        My made up name for twitter. It’s unimportant.

        “eX” twitter. The X also looks like a fallen over “t”, the state of twitter, IMO. Falling apart.

  • anon987@lemmy.world
    32·
    3 months ago

    It doesn’t give AI access to your computer, I really hope Lemmy users aren’t taking Elon’s comments at face value now.

    • psycho_driver@lemmy.world
      9·
      3 months ago

      allegedly

      There are people out there that still believe your phone isn’t listening to everything you say and targeting ads based on that, as well.

      • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
        10·
        3 months ago

        Phones aren’t listening, that uses too much data.

        Reality is a lot more creepy. They don’t need to wiretap you.

        If you talk to someone about a subject. Google knows you 2 have encountered each other, because Google knows both your locations, even if the GPS is disabled.

        And if the other person do a quick search on the subject after you left. Then google can associate you with that user and gives you similar ad results. So it looks like you only thought about it.

        But it goes further. Because Google has so much data on everyone, they can predict what you want before you even thought about it. Because like it or not, in a population of 8 billion, you aren’t really that unique. There will be at least 10 000 similar people that all react to things the same way. So if they all have this brilliant idea about a subject, then you are bound to have the same idea. So they serve you ads.

        • Bytemeister@lemmy.world
          1·
          3 months ago

          I get ads for random shit that I have no interest in all the time.

          Maybe Google has learned that sending me ads makes me less likely to buy shit, so they only send me ads for unrelated junk.

        • PotatoKat@lemmy.world
          1·
          3 months ago

          My phone is always listening for an “okay Google” it’s not too unreasonable to believe that there are other keywords that it’ll hear to know what ads to send your way

        • VirtualOdour@sh.itjust.works
          1·
          3 months ago

          Even this is silly, it’s what Google want advertisers to believe when they buy ads but their tracking is kinda shit in reality.

          The reason you often see adverts that apply to you is that we’re all kinds basic and are probably only thinking of things because they’re running an advertising campaign.

      • upandatom@lemmy.world
        7·
        3 months ago

        I’m one of those. If it were true you’d get targeted ads for everything your phone hears from TV too.

        • spizzat2@lemm.ee
          6·
          3 months ago

          Anecdotal: I had a friend go to New York. When he got back, I asked what he did while there, and (among other things) he told me that he saw a musical on Broadway.

          I had heard of the musical before, but I’ve never searched for it or anything. The next day, I got an ad for it on YouTube.

          Maybe it’s coincidental. I didn’t get ads for any of the other things he talked about. But I’ve never been to New York. I have no plans to go to New York. Why would I be getting ads for a musical only playing in New York?

          • Noodle07@lemmy.world
            15·
            3 months ago

            They totally have data on who you are spending time with. they know your friend went there and know you saw that friend. That’s enough I think

          • helenslunch@feddit.nl
            5·
            3 months ago

            Why would I be getting ads for a musical only playing in New York?

            Hard to say without knowing more about your personal situation but it would be trivial to figure out.

            Your buddy does a Google about the play. Google knows they’re interested in the play. Your buddy gives Google access to his contacts at any time. Google knows you’re on his contact list. Later when he visits you he accesses literally any website with Google ads (which is basically every website) from your WiFi. Google captures his IP address and sees that he’s on the same network as you. Bing bang boom.

            You could do that a dozen different ways with GPS data, calendar farming, email farming, notifications over Google servers, WiFi data, Google Messages data, etc. etc.

            And through that entire interaction Google needs zero information on your end. That’s the fun part of this dystopian nightmare: your friends are ignorant and unwitting spies for Google, Meta, Amazon and who knows who else.

            • upandatom@lemmy.world
              2·
              3 months ago

              Just wanted to say thanks for writing this up. I had a similar experience and figured wifi and location was enough for google to make the connection, but I like the extra part you added about being associated through contacts app too.

        • Suburbanl3g3nd@lemmings.world
          2·
          3 months ago

          I mean, most voice assistants have a way to teach it your voice. I imagine it would be trivial for it to learn your voice vs a TV voice given you are the person around your phone most often and it can eventually isolate your voice in a sea of noise

            • droans@lemmy.world
              2·
              3 months ago

              Plus it would be super easy to detect.

              Process it all locally and someone will notice the battery hit. Process it remotely and someone will notice the bandwidth hit.

              If it came out that they were listening in to every conversation, Congress would have an absolute field day. The Democrats won’t like the invasion of privacy and the Republicans would be happy for any excuse to go after “Big Tech”.

              Why be obvious when you can quietly get better data? Why would Apple also play along this whole time?

        • droans@lemmy.world
          1·
          3 months ago

          They don’t actually listen in on you. That would blow through your battery pretty quick and send a lot of data.

          They have even better ways, though.

          They can triangulate your location using WiFi. Even if the SSIDs are brand new, they can figure out you’re close to someone by comparing the networks and their RSSIs. If you or the person you’re talking with searched for something or went to a website/app very recently before or after the chat, Google is likely to send you relevant ads.

      • CheeseNoodle@lemmy.world
        2·
        3 months ago

        I just have my phone as my designated privacy nightmare because I’m cheap and whatsapp lets me make free phonecalls. My computer and browser on the other hand are so loaded up with privacy measures that if I don’t log into youtube it literally breaks and shows no videos because the algorithm has no data to workt with.

          • CheeseNoodle@lemmy.world
            1·
            3 months ago

            Its how youtube says youtube works. It says it can’t find any video history and just shows nothing. The page is still entierly functional and I can directly search things (or login to get suggestions) but it won’t show me anything on its own.

      • intensely_human@lemm.ee
        2·
        3 months ago

        More disturbingly, there are people who believe a thing isn’t happening, until they see proof that it is.

      • dev_null@lemmy.ml
        1·
        3 months ago

        I would hope so. People believing more conspiracy theories based on anecdotes is the last thing we need.

    • nexussapphire@lemm.ee
      8·
      3 months ago

      Your right, it collects data on files/usage habits and organizes it under a profile tied to you while adding nothing of worth. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a keylogger built into windows at this point.

    • Kedly@lemm.ee
      2·
      3 months ago

      I was JUST about to ask. I wouldnt put it past Micro$oft at this point to force access to peoples desktops

  • Etterra@lemmy.world
    26·
    3 months ago

    You’d think a tech “genius” would know how to install Linux. I don’t even use Linux and I know there’s plenty of resources to help you do it.

  • MechanicalJester@lemm.ee
    26·
    3 months ago

    Crazy fact: when someone bought a car from you second-hand, they didn’t have to register with the car maker and have an account…

  • businessfish@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    24·
    3 months ago

    local man who wants to own the internet experiences what that would be like for users, doesn’t like it, learns nothing. more at 11

  • Fenrisulfir@lemmy.ca
    22·
    3 months ago

    You definitely can still do it without a Microsoft account, it’s just not as obvious as before.

    • towerful@programming.dev
      7·
      3 months ago

      shift + F10 to open a command prompt during the out-of-box-experience setup bit.
      Type OOBE\BYPASSNRO and press enter.
      Think it stands for something like Out Of Box Experience / Bypass Network Requirement O-something.

      Your computer will restart, and you will have the “I dont have Internet option” allowing you to create a local account

      • AllOutOfBubbleGum@lemmy.world
        6·
        3 months ago

        “Setup for an organization” and “domain-join instead”, but you aren’t forced to domain-join later. At least that’s how it’s done on Windows Pro. No idea about Home/Standard/whatever it’s called now.

      • Fenrisulfir@lemmy.ca
        3·
        3 months ago

        Yes really. People have just been conditioned to not pay attention to everything on the screen

      • teamevil@lemmy.world
        2·
        3 months ago

        Yup… still need to create an account to use but if you’re not online…no bueno for Microsoft bueno for local account. Just beware, you won’t be able to take advantage of all of Microsoft…cloud services or the telemetry you can’t opt out of…

      • mrunicornman@lemmy.world
        1·
        3 months ago

        Also if you try and log in with a random email and gibberish password, it will fail to log in and show you the “Use local account instead” button

  • lntl@lemmy.ml
    20·
    3 months ago

    lol, this fella could fart and someone would post it up on the Internet

      • AtmaJnana@lemmy.world
        4·
        3 months ago

        And yet, if Lemmy didn’t fall all over themselves to post every single negative thing even vaguely related to him, I’d never have to hear about Musk. Maybe I should finally start using keyword filters for Lemmy.

          • AtmaJnana@lemmy.world
            3·
            3 months ago

            The mobile apps I use have a post filter setting that lets me block keywords present in a post title. Unfortunately, I don’t think this is a feature of Lemmy, but the apps themselves. I would love to be wrong about that, but as far as I can tell the Lemmy web UIs don’t seem to offer the feature.

            edit: I use Eternity and Boost. Neither is perfect, so I switch back and forth.

  • okamiueru@lemmy.world
    19·
    3 months ago

    I just want to thank you for sharing twitter as an image, instead of linking to it. It’s amusing how much more usable an image is.

    • exampleA
      6·
      3 months ago

      I keep trying but it keeps asking me to set up an account. eventually it accepts that I set up an account named root, but it won’t let me continue without an account.