Testing out a newer Windows workstation computer for a product review, and really missing the Start button. Was delighted, therefore, to find that Microsoft had released Windows 8.1 today.
Turns out, though, that Microsoft will no longer allow one to install without a Microsoft account. You know those accounts: Xbox Live, Hotmail, other services you may not have used for years.
And to take it one step further, one can't use a Microsoft account to install Windows 8.1 without providing either an alternate email address or a phone number. Microsoft takes its data-collection job for the NSA very seriously.
On the screen titled "Help us protect your account" the company gives a long explanation as to why one should provide these linking details between a Microsoft account and an alternate email or phone number.
Fortunately, at the bottom of the screen, right above the privacy statement, there's a link to "skip this for now". Except clicking the link resulting in a loop that returns one to the "Help us protect your account" screen.
In other words, there's no way to install Windows 8.1 without giving Microsoft additional personal information. The use of a Start button isn't worth Microsoft adding a notch to its NSA belt, so Windows 8.1 install is off the table (and the machine's a brick) until Microsoft makes the "skip this step" link actually skip the give-up-your-privacy step.
EDIT: Video Proof of Microsoft's Privacy Fail for Windows 8.1 ...
EDIT2: Microsoft claimed that the ability to log in via a local account would be available for the final (non-preview) version of Windows 8.1 but that appears not to be the case. In fact, we find that they've made it even harder to opt out of using a Microsoft account (not just for those of us who choose not to provide additional NSA bait in the form of an alternative email or phone number).
The phrase quoted earlier this year ("In order to use Windows 8.1 Preview you must sign in to your PC with a Microsoft account. The option to create a local account will be made available at the final release of Windows 8.1.") has now been stricken from Microsoft's site...
Turns out, though, that Microsoft will no longer allow one to install without a Microsoft account. You know those accounts: Xbox Live, Hotmail, other services you may not have used for years.
And to take it one step further, one can't use a Microsoft account to install Windows 8.1 without providing either an alternate email address or a phone number. Microsoft takes its data-collection job for the NSA very seriously.
On the screen titled "Help us protect your account" the company gives a long explanation as to why one should provide these linking details between a Microsoft account and an alternate email or phone number.
Fortunately, at the bottom of the screen, right above the privacy statement, there's a link to "skip this for now". Except clicking the link resulting in a loop that returns one to the "Help us protect your account" screen.
In other words, there's no way to install Windows 8.1 without giving Microsoft additional personal information. The use of a Start button isn't worth Microsoft adding a notch to its NSA belt, so Windows 8.1 install is off the table (and the machine's a brick) until Microsoft makes the "skip this step" link actually skip the give-up-your-privacy step.
EDIT: Video Proof of Microsoft's Privacy Fail for Windows 8.1 ...
EDIT2: Microsoft claimed that the ability to log in via a local account would be available for the final (non-preview) version of Windows 8.1 but that appears not to be the case. In fact, we find that they've made it even harder to opt out of using a Microsoft account (not just for those of us who choose not to provide additional NSA bait in the form of an alternative email or phone number).
The phrase quoted earlier this year ("In order to use Windows 8.1 Preview you must sign in to your PC with a Microsoft account. The option to create a local account will be made available at the final release of Windows 8.1.") has now been stricken from Microsoft's site...
