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Upcoming Windows 11 builds cannot install without internet and Microsoft Account

(infosec.exchange)
268 points tech234a | 1 comments | 29 Mar 25 04:13 UTC | HN request time: 0.206s | source
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janwillemb ◴[29 Mar 25 06:38 UTC] No.43513321[source]▶
It is very hard to use Android without a Google account. Most people accept that. They must have learnt from that.
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1. bad_user ◴[29 Mar 25 06:58 UTC] No.43513396[source]▶
Android is very usable without a Google account or even Play Services. It's not convenient, you may be missing some functionality, but it's usable and alternative app stores exist.

Huawei famously shipped devices without Google Play and many were fine with it. And Samsung's devices, AFAIK the most popular Androids, can have the Google account removed. Play stops working, but you can still use Samsung's own app store.

That may not last, of course, Android could become closed source, but in the meantime I dare say it's strictly more open than Windows. And I hope Microsoft gets slapped by EU's DMA.