New Win 10 PC

Just set up a new PC at home, I HAD to create an MS account to complete setup, how long has this been a thing?

You still don't have to, but they did a good job of hiding the offline option. It's still there, but you have to look for it. (Sorry, can't tell you exactly where - I have to look for it everytime myself)

I remember having to do it with Windows 8.x, and now I sign into my Win8 and Win10 machines with a microsoft online account instead of a local machine account.

I also didn't know that there was an offline option for this. I might investigate that for my next Windows box, thanks for bringing that to my attention.

If you happen to remember how/where, please post it here.

I foresee a new Windows 10 (or whenever they call it next) laptop in my future. Not looking forward to it

There's a small bit of text at the bottom of the MS acct page where you can skip and do the offline account thing. I'll be setting up a new Win10 machine next week; I'll get a screen shot (with my camera, because I think I can't do it in Windows before it's set up...).

-jk

I set up new computers all the time and can confirm that it's there on all Windows 10 installs. I also can't describe it perfectly, but the first time during setup that you see a screen talking about your MS account, there's text on the lower left that'll give you what you're looking for. Then in true MS fashion you have to confirm it on the next screen.

There are no downsides to a local account, IMO.

Also, I believe you can "downgrade" a MS account to a local account but I don't know where that is in the settings...

*edit*
Actually, it's easy to find. Go to Start > Settings > Accounts. Around the middle of that screen should be an option to "Sign in with a local account instead."

Here:

Thanks Matt, I scoured that screen looking for a skip option, all that blue must have blinded me!

No problem. Christian's image is the one I see every time I set up a new computer. 9 times out of 10 I'm using that offline account.

On the other hand, it's pretty funny to me how many people have a Microsoft account and don't know it. I'll ask if they have one, they'll say no, I'll try their most-used email address anyway to check, and most of the time it goes ahead and asks me for a password, which then requires a reset because if they didn't know they had an account they certainly didn't know they had a password.

But that's all for setting up Office 365. I still set up Windows without the online account.

Oh, I know I've got one; still doesn't necessarily mean I want to use it for logging into my laptop.

I was talking about my clients. And I said the same thing.