# Why is Microsoft trying to ruin the internet?



## pointwithinacircle2 (Jan 13, 2015)

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!  I am trying to set up the second new computer that I mom got for Christmas.  (We had to return the first one)  Setting up the first one took six hours.  I was sure that all that experience would allow me to get the second one set.  But no, apparently this windows 8 computer refuses to use the same username and log-in that her last computer used.  So I created a new Microsoft user name and password and was able to log into the operating system.  Then I tried to open a Microsoft app and it asks for her username and password again.  So I re-enter it.  Nope, it won't take the same information again.  Finally after trying everything I could think of I gave up.  Why is Microsoft working so hard to ruin the computer experience?


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## jwardl (Jan 14, 2015)

pointwithinacircle2 said:


> Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!  I am trying to set up the second new computer that I mom got for Christmas.  (We had to return the first one)  Setting up the first one took six hours.  I was sure that all that experience would allow me to get the second one set.  But no, apparently this windows 8 computer refuses to use the same username and log-in that her last computer used.  So I created a new Microsoft user name and password and was able to log into the operating system.  Then I tried to open a Microsoft app and it asks for her username and password again.  So I re-enter it.  Nope, it won't take the same information again.  Finally after trying everything I could think of I gave up.  Why is Microsoft working so hard to ruin the computer experience?


What app were you trying to access?

Microsoft (and everybody, it seems) is moving to cloud-based computing. Hence, the user name & password you created was for cloud resources that Windows 8 automatically syncs to. You CAN create a local account in Windows 8 instead, but they don't make it easy because that's not what they want you to do.

Interestingly, this push to the cloud essentially moves individuals to the same client-server topology that is used in most businesses. The individual PC is going the way of the dodo.


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## Rick Carver (Jan 14, 2015)

Microsoft is moving towards cloud-based applications (because they control and can sell cloud storage space as a recurring income source) and much of Windows 8 seems to heavily rely on your Microsoft account and its settings. Mine was set up years ago when my kids bought me an X-Box for Christmas and I had to create this account to access the online features of the X-Box. Since I have not used that account for awhile, I had a hard time remembering even the UserID and Login for that account. Recovery of that information is not easy or intuitive and the system will not allow you to create a new account using the same email or other information you supply.

If you can configure a Windows 8 system that fast, you are ahead of the curve.


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## Illuminatio (Jan 28, 2015)

(I'm sure you're past all this by now, but just in case not...) There's a point in the initial setup, and it's not real obvious at all, you're given the option to decline and use a local account only. But it was pretty vague when it gave you the choice. It was almost like you had to start to setup the Microsoft account and then change your mind, and then it gave you the option to use a local account only. 

That being said, what's been stated above is definitely correct. Depending on if she wanted to use the Windows store at all, they'd make her create/log in with a Microsoft account at that point. Which then gets even more confusing because it will ask if you'd like to merge it with the local account for the computer...  You can choose not to, but then she'd just have to be entering the password every time she wants to use the apps she downloaded. 

It's pretty infuriating. Personally, for anyone not wholly dedicated to the Microsoft ecosystem, Windows 7 is a much better choice if you still have it as an option for the PC you're looking. We haven't even entertained moving anyone to Windows 8 here in the Corporate environment due to how confused plenty of people would be with it. Dell still builds all machines for us with Windows 7.

Hope you were able to finally get everything going with minimal headaches in the end though!


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## Steve Lloyd (Apr 18, 2015)

Install Linux MINT you will be fully setup in under a hour...


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