That would also explain why Aldi in the UK also has these while other stores don’t.

They did. Cheap and reliable

Not tried in a while but it used to just be a case of leaving it disconnected from the net during setup.

Failing that you can still sign up with a throwaway account and convert it to local in the options after installation iirc. It’s not ideal but it’s still something at least.

That entirely depends on how well code reviews are managed. I’ve worked with a “Martin” in the past and we did manage to move to a system where 2+ reviewers were required but it simply got to the point where no one would “rock the boat” because he’d simply brush off every comment made, or call you up to have a long rambling conversation as to why he made the decision he did and how you’re wrong and he’s right, and given his position in the company you couldn’t complain to anyone else about him because he was more valuable to them than you were.

We tried to put more and more blockers in front of him to attempt to encourage him to play nicer, but these were only temporary solutions to the bigger problem of “Martin” himself.