soapbox: offline accounts and speed

Hi All,

I guess I am late to the rodeo on the off line accounts
topic, but when has that stopped me from commenting? Ha!

Now it is well know that store bought computers have the
own tweaked installer of Windows. Here is some bitching
on the subject.

Okay, the only store bought computer I recommend is Lenovo's
business class computers. Dell was "okay" until Michael sold
to a bunch of MBA and bean counter that had not passion
for computers.

The initial installs of Lenovos go straight to an offline
account. Yippee!

Yesterday's customer with a new el-cheap-o HP 1803 home
edition REFUSED to install without an Internet connection
and WOULD NOT allow for an offline account (no fine print
to click on). But would allow you to convert it
afterwards, which I did. Now M$ and possibly HP has the customer's
birth date, full name, and eMail address.
I can not even begin to tell you how DISGUSTING I find this.

And last night I put the finishing install of 1903-Pro
on a custom computer. I used Win10_1903_V1_English_x64.
The install did not initially find the network card but
allowed me to continue. Shades of Windows 7. And get this,
went straight to an off line account. YIPPEE!!!

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMM.

Maybe I should always unplug the Ethernet cable when doing
an install !!! I can't wait to test this!

I use to do this to Quick Books to guard my customer's
privacy all the time. When you go to register, they use
to give you a phone number to call. They eventually
wised up and create an account over the phone when you
called licensing. They have to market you! (Jerks!)

And on the speed front. I have found that W10 installs
with NMVe drives do not have all the usual problems
as mechanical drive computers. The speed keeps the
customer from flipping things off durig updates.

And Windows Nein (w10) really want fast, high quality
hardware. This is because they have crappy code.
Linux will run on virtually everything, so the "we
can't control the hardware" mantra from M$ is
just an excuse.

So, if you are going to run Windows Nein (most have to
due to lack of common software on Linux), buy good
hardware with a Samsung NVMe drive.

Okay, off my soap box. Well, for now.

-T

On 10/8/19 8:52 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
T wrote:

Yesterday's customer with a new el-cheap-o HP 1803 home
edition REFUSED to install without an Internet connection
and WOULD NOT allow for an offline account (no fine print
to click on). But would allow you to convert it
afterwards, which I did. Now M$ and possibly HP has the customer's
birth date, full name, and eMail address.

That information was already defined in the MS account that the customer
used. Or did they create a NEW online account? If it is a new account,
what does the customer care about it since it was created only to get
Win10 installed hence it can be abandoned after converting the Windows
online account to an offline (aka local) account?

If I'm correct, you have to have an MS Account if you want to get
anything from the MS Store.


snip

--
Ken
MacOS 10.14.6
Firefox 69.0.2
Thunderbird 60.9
"My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
and it's gone!"

On 10/8/19 10:18 PM, Ken Springer wrote:
On 10/8/19 8:52 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
T wrote:

Yesterday's customer with a new el-cheap-o HP 1803 home
edition REFUSED to install without an Internet connection
and WOULD NOT allow for an offline account (no fine print
to click on).Â* But would allow you to convert it
afterwards, which I did.Â* Now M$ and possibly HP has the customer's
birth date, full name, and eMail address.

That information was already defined in the MS account that the customer
used.Â* Or did they create a NEW online account?Â* If it is a new account,
what does the customer care about it since it was created only to get
Win10 installed hence it can be abandoned after converting the Windows
online account to an offline (aka local) account?

If I'm correct, you have to have an MS Account if you want to get
anything from the MS Store.


snip


That is my "impression too". Be a cold day in hell
before I give M$ my credit card.

The apps in the store really stink too.

Come to think of it, I have looked at the upgrade from
Home to Pro and that goes through the store. But I
have never gone into it far enough to see if they
want and account or not.

On 10/9/19 12:50 AM, T wrote:
On 10/8/19 10:18 PM, Ken Springer wrote:
On 10/8/19 8:52 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
T wrote:

Yesterday's customer with a new el-cheap-o HP 1803 home
edition REFUSED to install without an Internet connection
and WOULD NOT allow for an offline account (no fine print
to click on).Â* But would allow you to convert it
afterwards, which I did.Â* Now M$ and possibly HP has the customer's
birth date, full name, and eMail address.

That information was already defined in the MS account that the customer
used.Â* Or did they create a NEW online account?Â* If it is a new account,
what does the customer care about it since it was created only to get
Win10 installed hence it can be abandoned after converting the Windows
online account to an offline (aka local) account?

If I'm correct, you have to have an MS Account if you want to get
anything from the MS Store.


snip


That is my "impression too". Be a cold day in hell
before I give M$ my credit card.

The App Store works the same way. I don't know if the MS Store does
this, I've not purchased anything, but once purchased from the App
Store, and you get a new Mac, you can sign in to the App Store and
download everything you previously downloaded. No worries about losing
those downloaded programs or the DVDs you bought.

The apps in the store really stink too.

That's for sure. I went looking for an accounting program, and none of
the paltry few I found had more than a 3 star rating.

The App Store seems to have a broader range of complexity of software in
a particular category. IOW, very simple beginner's word processsors,
for example. Less complex than WordPad, for example, to software that
kicks WordPad butt, and is free.

Come to think of it, I have looked at the upgrade from
Home to Pro and that goes through the store. But I
have never gone into it far enough to see if they
want and account or not.

From info I got from the Lenovo forums, to get some stuff for a Lenovo
laptop that I'm upgrading to W10, it's only available from the MS Store.


--
Ken
MacOS 10.14.6
Firefox 69.0.2
Thunderbird 60.9
"My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
and it's gone!"

On 10/9/19 12:48 AM, T wrote:
On 10/8/19 7:52 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
wrote:

snip

Anyone can get your birthdate using your name, and your name isn't
secret.
But should not, unless you are law enforcement with a valid
court warrant.

I believe your birthdate is a public record.

snip

--
Ken
MacOS 10.14.6
Firefox 69.0.2
Thunderbird 60.9
"My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
and it's gone!"

On 09/10/2019 08:36, Ken Springer wrote:
On 10/9/19 12:48 AM, T wrote:
On 10/8/19 7:52 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
Â* wrote:

snip

Anyone can get your birthdate using your name, and your name isn't
secret.
But should not, unless you are law enforcement with a valid
court warrant.

I believe your birthdate is a public record.

In the UK, only after 100 years in the census records. The most recent
census that is public record is the 1911 one.

Prior to that only government agencies can verify your birth details.

On Wed, 9 Oct 2019 01:31:36 -0600, Ken Springer wrote:

The App Store works the same way.

Just to clarify the factual situation for the various "App Store(s)"...

Windows:
o An account is NOT required by a normal user for typical apps.

Linux:
o An account is NOT required (e.g., Canonical) for normal support.

Android:
o An account is NOT required for full & complete access to Google Play.

iOS:
o An Apple account (& Advertiser ID) is absolutely required, period.

Mac:
o ?

--
People don't seem to comprehend simple facts; but they're still facts.

On Wed, 9 Oct 2019 09:24:55 +0100, Chris wrote:

In the UK, only after 100 years in the census records. The most recent
census that is public record is the 1911 one.

Prior to that only government agencies can verify your birth details.

In the US, our own government doesn't bother to follow its own rules.
o They illegally searched friends, girlfriends, ex wives, neighbors, etc.

Tens of thousands of times - per year!

Dateline: October 8, 2019
o FBI¢s Use of Surveillance Database Violated Americans¢ Privacy Rights, Court Found
https://www.wsj.com/articles/fbis-use-of-foreign-surveillance-tool-violated-americans-privacy-rights-court-found-11570559882

o FBI¢s US spy program violated privacy rights ¡tens of thousands¢ of times, federal court rules
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2019/10/fbis-us-spy-program-violated-privacy-rights-tens-of-thousands-of-times-federal-court-rules/

o FBI violated Americans¢ privacy by abusing access to NSA surveillance data, court rules
o FBI agents made tens of thousands of unauthorized searches on American citizens
https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/8/20905678/fbi-violated-americans-privacy-rights-court-ruling-fisc-surveillance-nsa

o REPORT: Court Ruled FBI Violated Americans' Privacy
https://hannity.com/media-room/report-court-ruled-fbi-violated-americans-privacy-in-foreign-surveillance-activities/

On 10/9/19 12:31 AM, Ken Springer wrote:
I went looking for an accounting program

I use Gnu Cash:
https://gnucash.org/

T wrote:
On 10/8/19 10:18 PM, Ken Springer wrote:
On 10/8/19 8:52 PM, VanguardLH wrote:
T wrote:

Yesterday's customer with a new el-cheap-o HP 1803 home
edition REFUSED to install without an Internet connection
and WOULD NOT allow for an offline account (no fine print
to click on).Â* But would allow you to convert it
afterwards, which I did.Â* Now M$ and possibly HP has the customer's
birth date, full name, and eMail address.

That information was already defined in the MS account that the customer
used.Â* Or did they create a NEW online account?Â* If it is a new account,
what does the customer care about it since it was created only to get
Win10 installed hence it can be abandoned after converting the Windows
online account to an offline (aka local) account?

If I'm correct, you have to have an MS Account if you want to get
anything from the MS Store.


snip


That is my "impression too".Â* Be a cold day in hell
before I give M$ my credit card.

The apps in the store really stink too.

Come to think of it, I have looked at the upgrade from
Home to Pro and that goes through the store.Â* But I
have never gone into it far enough to see if they
want and account or not.

You have to have a Microsoft account but:

1) You don't have to use Microsoft account for login and can use local
account

2) You don't have to assign a CC to a Microsoft account

3) You can use MS Store and apps with 1 & 2 conditions.

I know it is true because that is what I a doing right now. The couple
of of MS Store apps I am using is very limited, not much I have found of
value. Just using One Calendar and Calendar Live Tile combo for a handy
display of my appointments.

--
Take care,

Jonathan
-------------------
LITTLE WORKS STUDIO
http://www.LittleWorksStudio.com

T wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:

Anyone can get your birthdate using your name, and your name isn't
secret.

But should not, unless you are law enforcement with a valid
court warrant.

You think the Internet Movie Database (imdb.com) is a law enforcement
agency so they can show the birthdates of everyone listed there?

In the US, and many other countries, a person's date of birth and
residence is considered public record. Companies do background checks
all the time, and they aren't getting court ordered record checks.

I know one guy that got ****ed at me when I contacted him regarding a
problem with his grocery store (privately own). I looked him up using
the county's property tax web site. Put in an address, voila, I find
the owner. Odd he should think running a public business would keep
ownership of the store or property a secret.

On 10/9/19 3:22 AM, T wrote:
On 10/9/19 12:31 AM, Ken Springer wrote:
I went looking for an accounting program

I use Gnu Cash:
https://gnucash.org/

Far more sophisticated than I need. IIRC, it's also double entry.


--
Ken
MacOS 10.14.6
Firefox 69.0.2
Thunderbird 60.9
"My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
and it's gone!"

On 10/9/19 7:37 AM, Ken Springer wrote:
On 10/9/19 3:22 AM, T wrote:
On 10/9/19 12:31 AM, Ken Springer wrote:
I went looking for an accounting program

I use Gnu Cash:
https://gnucash.org/

Far more sophisticated than I need.Â* IIRC, it's also double entry.



My brain almost melted trying to learn it. Now it
is a dream. Steep learning curve. Yikes!

On 10/9/19 7:33 AM, VanguardLH wrote:
Having an MS account is not the same as using
a*Windowws* online account linked to your MS account.

Are you absolutel *sure* this is still true?

I'm thinking about how Google merged all their services so you had only
a single login and password for Google.

How do we know MS didn't do the same thing?

The reason I ask, is years ago, I created a Windows Live account. IIRC,
that let me access the MS commumities. But I don't know if that is the
same thing as a Microsoft account, these days. I suspect it is, as I
just created a new user account in W10. When asked for a Microsoft
account, I used that account and password, and eventually was logged in
and at the desktop.

I was forced to create a PIN, but that was OK as the screen said the PIN
was stored locally.ss

When I entered the MS Store, there was no option to log out/sign out of
the store.

I suspect everything is now just one username and password.

--
Ken
MacOS 10.14.6
Firefox 69.0.2
Thunderbird 60.9
"My brain is like lightning, a quick flash
and it's gone!"

Jonathan N. Little wrote:
[...]
You have to have a Microsoft account but:

1) You don't have to use Microsoft account for login and can use local
account

2) You don't have to assign a CC to a Microsoft account

3) You can use MS Store and apps with 1 & 2 conditions.

I know it is true because that is what I a doing right now. The couple
of of MS Store apps I am using is very limited, not much I have found of
value. Just using One Calendar and Calendar Live Tile combo for a handy
display of my appointments.

And, unless things have changed, you only need *a* Microsoft account,
i.e. it does not have to be *your* account, does not have to be 'tied'
to the computer in question, etc..

I used this method with a 'rogue' Microsoft account to install a (MS)
Store app on SWMBO's laptop.