Is Windows 8.1 that awful for private (local) email?

[Compumind]

Greetings!

I need to buy a nice Windows 7 system, but sadly cannot find the specs I need at my price point.

If I should go with Windows 8.1, I understand that I *need* to have a Microsoft Account for email, which would be on the cloud and not local (and private,) like I presently have with Windows Live Mail 2012 for Windows 7.

Is there any way to easily get around this in 8.1? Current email is POP3 or I can even do IMAP.

TIA,

Compumind

 

[rchris]

You don't *need* to have a Microsoft mail account to use Win 8.1, but you definitely should use one to sign into your PC when you go through setup. In Win 8.1 everything in the OS, apps, and Microsoft ecosystem is synced around your Microsoft account login. Using a "local" account instead, which is possible, but will just cause too much pain (IMHO). Many of the apps and features in Win 8.1 want a Microsoft email account login.

That being said, you do not have to use the Win 8.1 Mail app for your personal/primary email. You still have the desktop and should be able to install about any email client, including Windows Live Mail. Windows Live Mail and the Win 8.1 Mail app will not work together, but you can just ignore the mail app and I think you could use Windows Live Mail on the desktop as you've been doing.

Maybe someone will correct me because I haven't tried this, but the desktop in Win 8.1 seems to work as it always has before.

 

[CountMike]

You don't *need* to have a Microsoft mail account to use Win 8.1, but you definitely should use one to sign into your PC when you go through setup. In Win 8.1 everything in the OS, apps, and Microsoft ecosystem is synced around your Microsoft account login. Using a "local" account instead, which is possible, but will just cause too much pain (IMHO). Many of the apps and features in Win 8.1 want a Microsoft email account login.

That being said, you do not have to use the Win 8.1 Mail app for your personal/primary email. You still have the desktop and should be able to install about any email client, including Windows Live Mail. Windows Live Mail and the Win 8.1 Mail app will not work together, but you can just ignore the mail app and I think you could use Windows Live Mail on the desktop as you've been doing.

Maybe someone will correct me because I haven't tried this, but the desktop in Win 8.1 seems to work as it always has before.

All the desktop apps work just fine for mail. I use Outlook from Office 2013 and Foxmail together with many Webmail sites.

 

[Compumind]

Thanks for the replies.

I wish to confirm that windows Live Mail 2012 will work perfectly on the Windows 8.1 platform.
In addition, what is the difference between a "local account" and a "non-local" one?
Is there a procedure listed?

Cheers!

 

[Shadowjk]

Thanks for the replies.

I wish to confirm that windows Live Mail 2012 will work perfectly on the Windows 8.1 platform.
In addition, what is the difference between a "local account" and a "non-local" one?
Is there a procedure listed?

Cheers!

I found that when testing deployment of windows 8.1 I had to remove the network connection after installation and setup of the first user account. If it detects an Internet connection then it forces you to use a microsoft account. If you remove the network connection then it allows you to make a local account. Personally I prefer a local account mainly for administration reasons since microsoft accounts play havoc on my windows domain...

Hope this helps,
Josh

 

[4wd]

I understand that I *need* to have a Microsoft Account

Definitely not. Zero MS accounts here, no need for it to install and run w8, & am using cloud, email & whatever from providers of my choice.

If it detects an Internet connection then it forces you to use a microsoft account

Definitely not. But the choice for a local account is 'hidden', to make it look like one must use a ms account.

 

[z31fanatic]

I think to upgrade to 8.1 you are required to have a Microsoft account. I re-installed Win 8 in a PC I sold recently and I wanted it to upgrade it to 8.1 but it asked me to create a Microsoft account so I abandoned that plan. I left it up to the person who bought the PC from me to upgrade to 8.1 if they wanted to.

 

[4wd]

I think to upgrade to 8.1 you are required to have a Microsoft account

No. The upgrade from store is available for everyone, local or ms account, & the upgrade process makes it look like one needs the ms account to proceed, but the option to use local is there.

 

[z31fanatic]

I think to upgrade to 8.1 you are required to have a Microsoft account

No. The upgrade from store is available for everyone, local or ms account.

Yes, of course, but that's not what I am saying.

After you download the upgrade and you reboot, you will be asked to create or use an existing Microsoft account. It didn't look to me like it was possible to continue with a local account in 8.1.

 

[4wd]

^^^ Added the details to the post above while you were posting :O) Yes:

you will be asked to create or use an existing Microsoft account

but no need to be allured into following MS's wishes, one can choose local.

Some practical info in this post

 

[adamf]

You don't need a microsoft account - I use gmail personally and Windows Live mail works perfectly fine - exactly the same as it did in Winows 7.

 

[z31fanatic]

^^^ Added the details to the post above while you were posting :O) Yes:

you will be asked to create or use an existing Microsoft account

but no need to be allured into following MS's wishes, one can choose local.

Some practical info in this post

Yeah, you're right, they had that option buried hoping you won't see it.


I copied this from the official site

[FONT=WOL_Reg]Windows 8.1[/FONT][FONT=WOL_Reg] is designed to be used with a Microsoft account, so we recommend that you give it a try. Simply put, your Microsoft account is the glue that holds together so many useful features of the new Windows. Without one, you won't be able to, for example, automatically sync your settings and documents between PCs, back up your photos to the cloud so you can get to them from anywhere, or see all your contacts from multiple email and social networking accounts together in the People and Mail apps.
[/FONT][FONT=WOL_Reg]But if you're sure you want to use a local account instead, choose [/FONT][FONT=WOL_Bold]Create a new account[/FONT][FONT=WOL_Reg], and then on the new account page, choose [/FONT][FONT=WOL_Bold]Continue using my existing account[/FONT][FONT=WOL_Reg].[/FONT]

 

[4wd]

they had that option buried hoping you won't see it.

Yes, and succeeding to the point that most\many believe an ms account is the only option.

[FONT=WOL_Reg]Simply put, your Microsoft account is the glue that holds together so many useful features of the new Windows[/FONT]

Let me rewrite this in clearer words :O)

"Simply put, your Microsoft account is the glue that holds your money + credit card together with so many expensive features of the new Windows"