>While most devices do require a sign-in to fully enable app stores, cloud storage, and cross-device sharing and syncing, Windows 11 will soon stand alone as the only major consumer OS that requires account sign-in to enable even basic functionality.
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So three questions:
1) Do you think the govt will be looking into this in the near future? 2) What about sites that use AD as login/gate keeper? 3) What about govt TLA agencies and security?
@geniusmusing For question 1, I think government in the US has a particularly close relationship with Microsoft, so unless the CEO has a public dinner with Xi and Putin, I don't see the US doing anything to stop them.
@lnxw48a1 Pretty sure they would be the only major OS that requires a "company" (meaning the OS seller/provider) account login, other beg, plead & nag but not required. Time may tell.
They would be the only one that currently does so, yes. When I bought my iPad, though I tried diligently to find a way to use it without creating an Apple account, I couldn't. They have since made it possible to use basic functions of iDevices without an Apple account.
I personally think Microsoft is making a mistake. They are going to find themselves getting more subpoenas and secret orders than any single organization has ever had before, because now they know where and when $USER logs into their machines, and likely knows what $USER does once they log in.
To tackle 2, I suspect that most organizations are using Microsoft 365, so they've already federated their Active Directory (or other LDAP directory) with MS Azure. There is a leap of speculation here, but those accounts could sort of be considered connected to Microsoft.
I'm not sure what organizations which use Google as their mail and office suite will have to do.
What I'm wondering is how long USDOJ can resist the pressure to investigate the competitive implications. This has got to affect every other business e-mail and business office suite provider, as well as any cloud-based provider. "Since we have to have Microsoft accounts anyway, why should we continue to use X Corporation's cloud / service / software?"