Paying directly for a product that you're going to use creates a beautiful alignment of interests. Even Microsoft wasn't as beautifully aligned as Apple was/is because Windows was sold to CIOs and IT departments and not the person who was going to actually use it.

Depends on what outcome you want. Buying Apple/MS products - your money simply goes into some executives pocket or in a pile of cash promoting an even greater concentration of wealth. While that is in the interest of Apple, its not really in my interest as a consumer. I want as little of my money as possible to go into a pile of cash, and the maximum possible to the actual cost of the good.