>Doesn't that make the account requirement even more scary? So now if MS decides for some reason to lock my account, this will make even the data I have on my local disks inaccessible as well?

Depends. The average user would be more afraid if its not backed up online.

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mulquin 16 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I'm not sure there's anything I dislike more than "the average user" because so much good software has been destroyed because of it.

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bee_rider 14 hours ago | parent | next [-]

The actual average user is fine. The problem is most companies seem design for some hypothetical average user, who they hate and/or think is a dumbass.

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DaSHacka 13 hours ago | parent | next [-]

> The actual average user is fine.

I'm afraid i have some unfortunate news..

>t. someone who deals with "average users" on a daily basis.

	▲	bee_rider 6 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Do you really? How? I haven’t done IT, but I would expect you to mostly see people who’d broken something.

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mjevans 13 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Have you seen the user of median (average) intelligence? That's who you seem to describe. The users of even lesser intelligence make me question the survival fitness of our species.

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type0 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Your average users are getting rid of PCs and getting Android tablets or iPads instead.

	▲	prmoustache 8 hours ago \| parent [-]
		And they are used to lose all their accounts and data on a regular basis, which is also fine because they seem to accept that rather easily.

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bluecalm 12 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

I've dealt with users for a few years. Those were already selected to be a bit more technical than your average person because of a niche I am in. I can tell you an average user is in fact a dumbass.. Vast majority doesn't understand concepts like files. People have all kind of crap on their computers as they randomly click around and download everything. They save information in the downloads folder and complain it disappears. Their computer is 10x slower than yours because all the crap that runs on it.

The are also very aggressive when it comes to not reading error message or in fact learning anything about how computers or their OS works. Add to this usual entitlements and not seeing a problem with being dumb on purpose and you get a picture of an average user.

The companies know that and the dumbed down design we get is a diret consequence of it.

	▲	hyperhello 12 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Reading this feels like a calculator manufacturer trying to explain why it doesn’t matter that the calculators don’t do every operation exactly right.

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protocolture 15 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

I mean thats absolutely a take. Sometimes I like to think about how great a network I could build if I didnt have to service any customers.

	▲	mulquin 14 hours ago \| parent [-]
		It would be the most beautiful, elegant, well-designed and thoroughly hardened network I'm certain. I get it, the software I'm complaining about was designed for profit. The point I'm trying to make is imagine you have to tell a customer that they can't keep using the network design they have, which fits their requirements almost perfectly, because it's too much burden for your network engineers to maintain. Instead, the customer can use this other network design that is suitable for the average customer. So it works, but not as well as before, and the customer will probably need to find some workarounds or shift other processes to accommodate. It's just shit.

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pndy 11 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

My rather distant friend has a tendency of not reading what happens on the screen. She uses her computers for years only for browsing the web and writing papers. Whatever else obstructs her way is dealt with "next next finish" approach. Despite I told her many times, she should read and look up for solutions online if there's any doubt.

She locked her W11 laptop. Disk was encrypted and she couldn't recall neither login or password for MS account.

	▲	LtWorf 10 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Encrypting disk by default but giving the password to microsoft makes no sense. I'm way more scared of airport security stealing my laptop and getting access than I am of someone breaking into my home with the purpose of accessing my data. Basically it hassles people like your friend, protects against the very unlikely scenario while leaving the more likely scenario unprotected. Not to mention of course the bitlocker backdoor that was discovered last month.

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pmontra 13 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I'm afraid that the average user still does not think about backup. Sharing with other devices, probably yes, but the two concepts are only distant cousins.

	▲	prmoustache 7 hours ago \| parent [-]
		But they have gotten used to lose all their files on a regular basis. Sure they lament it when in happens but most aren't willing to do anything about that. My SO lost all her pictures several times over the year when changing phones. She still complains about it when she wants to share or find something old she knew she had but she has mostly accepted it.

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themafia 15 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Having helped more than a few users with down PCs. They're mostly not even aware these backups exist. When you explain it to them the result is a mixture of relief and then fear that this was occurring without their awareness.

	▲	protocolture 13 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Yeah exactly. I remember how many people nuke their iPhone and then call support about getting all their babies photos back. iCloud is largely a support call reduction feature first and foremost.

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gigel82 15 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

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