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I read the Wiki article and I don't get what most people use it for.
I thought it was a way to store your browser bookmarks in a common place, so that if you use browsers on different devices, you would have the same bookmarks. But in their description, it doesn't even list a browser as one of the applications you use it for.
MS account can be use as your Windows account. Microsoft offer a bunch of other cloud services so having a single account makes thing more streamline. Apple uses Apple ID and MS uses Windows Account.
MS Accounts are used for dozens of different services that MS provides, including email (Hotmail, Live, Outlook, or whatever they call it this month), XBox, MSDN (developer tools and support), Zune (again, may have a new name by now), Windows Phone, Windows 8/10 app store, Windows 8/10 computer account, etc.
Basically it's a universal account for all things MS.
I wonder if down deep it isn't just about "control".
No different than any providers or services. It's all about integration.
You can opt to set up your Microsoft PC without a Windows account. The problem is if you decide to use other MS offering, you will need to create an account.
It's as described in OP's link. Note sure how plainly the language can get.
Quote:
All of these services work with your Microsoft account
Whether you use a couple Microsoft services or all of them, your account keeps everything important to you—settings, photos, and files—with you on any device.
Access your emails and a free suite of apps when you sign in to Outlook.com with your Microsoft account
Outlook.com
Collaborate with others in real-time when you sign in to Office with your Microsoft account
Office
Call friends and family for free when you sign in to Skype with your Microsoft account
Skype
Get the most from your Windows experience when you sign in to a device with your Microsoft account
Windows
Share files and photos with OneDrive when you sign in with your Microsoft account
OneDrive
Enhance your gaming experience when you sign in to Xbox Live with your Microsoft account
Xbox Live
Experience a better search when you sign in to Bing with your Microsoft account
Bing
Get a personalized experience when you sign in to MSN with your Microsoft account
MSN
Get access to apps, games, music, movies, and TV when you sign in to our stores with your Microsoft account
Stores
I read the Wiki article and I don't get what most people use it for.
I thought it was a way to store your browser bookmarks in a common place, so that if you use browsers on different devices, you would have the same bookmarks. But in their description, it doesn't even list a browser as one of the applications you use it for.
Can you explain in simpler language what it's for?
Does it only work with MS's browsers or with others?
It works with any browser.
You can use a Microsoft account to synchronize data with your Windows PC. Purchase a new Windows 10 PC, and it will want you to log in with your Microsoft account. Log in with that account, and you can log into another Windows 10 computer and the files will synchronize to that new PC if they're saved into your OneDrive account.
The same account, will get you into Outlook.
The Microsoft account is also used for a rewards system Microsoft has created as an incentive for people to use Bing, as opposed to Google. Collect enough points and you can use them towards services like Groove Music. OneDrive and Hulu were also options under this program previously. Enough points, and you can purchase music and movies from Microsoft.
Log into Bing no different than the way you would log into Google.
Use it to connect to people on Skype, use it to keep track of documents you set up through Office Onilne, etc.
Check out the following link for more information.
Microsoft accounts are MS's way of tracking everything you do across multiple devices and different software. This is the price we pay for the free stuff we get.
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