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Comment by itronitron | Hacker News Reader

I wiped a brand new Windows laptop just last week and installed Linux because Windows 'S' Mode wouldn't let me install Firefox without a Windows account. Very happy with the change to linux and I don't have to worry about accidentally saving personal documents to the OneDrive cloud.

Product companies should take note, I'd probably own a few more electronics if they didn't require that consumers 'create an account' or associate an email address in order to use the thing.

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I've been considering making the switch to a Linux distro full-time, this move by Microsoft might be deciding factor. It sounds like they restricted Firefox installations to force users to use Edge.....

What's keeping you on Windows? Linux is as capable as ever these days.

Honestly, not much at this point.... Just don't have the time to commit to a smooth transition.

> I've been considering making the switch to a Linux distro full-time

I forget what my last straw was, but I went full Linux for all of my home computers around 2012 or so. At the time it bricked a piece of novelty hardware for me which I later ended up selling anyway, and that was not a hard choice to make.

My life has been so much better.

I segregate my usage of Windows and Mac OSs to work. I enjoy my OS sanity when at home.

That makes no sense. Why would you use 'S' mode if you didn't want to be connected? It's specifically a version that does not store data/apps locally, so of course it's going to require an account...

S mode does store data/apps locally, it just prevents you from running any software that isn't from the Microsoft Store.

They were using S mode because it's impossible to disable without logging into a Microsoft account first.

Some devices, like the Surface Go, come with Windows S mode by default. To disable S mode you need a Microsoft account as you need to access the store to do so. I think there are some workarounds for this, but the default way is the store.

It's the version/mode of Windows that was installed when I bought the laptop. I tried about three different approaches to switch it out of 'S' mode but none of them worked.

You can get out of "S Mode", a feature which is absurdly hidden in the MS Store [1].

[1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/switching-out-of...

I think what the parent comment was aiming at is that you need a Windows account to follow that. I don't think you can use the store without an account, therefore not able to escape the S mode, therefore not able to install Firefox.

My understanding last time I tried, was that you need a Microsoft Account to switch out of S Mode.

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