Not defending windows 11 in any way, but on install, when you get to the "login to your microsoft account" screen, if you open command prompt (shift + f10 i think) and open the network utility - type ncpa.cpl, then you can find and disable your network adaptor. Close cmd and the network utility and click back. It will ask you to create a local user.

I've done this a couple of times and it hasn't forced me to create a Microsoft account yet (I use a lot of windows vms). If this no longer works on win11, apologies, it used to.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

But I shouldn't have to do that. I should just be able to say no.

[–] joshcodes 2 points 1 month ago

Hey so remember when I said I wasn't defending windows 11 in any way? That's because I wasn't defending windows 11 in any way. The fact anyone has to bypass anything on their own computer to set it up the way they want is stupid and anticonsumer.

I wrote that to be helpful so that people could get around the problem. You shouldn't have to and I fully endorse everyone moving to Linux so you don't have to put up with microsofts shit, but you do, so there's the workaround in the meantime.