Source: The Register
Microsoft has weaponized the out-of-box experience—traditionally a neutral onboarding moment—into a sales funnel that routes users directly to subscription offers before IT departments can enforce purchasing policies. The setup screens capture end-user buying decisions that would normally route through corporate procurement, effectively disintermedating the IT buyer and converting approval processes into direct-to-consumer revenue. The move exposes how consumer-grade operating systems have become dual-use sales platforms. Microsoft views Windows primarily as a distribution asset for its subscription stack rather than as infrastructure IT should control.