[vovavili]

>Almost immediately, something will be installed that will require installing the .NET runtime, maybe multiple versions of it.

That's because Windows ships with an ancient .NET 4.8.1 by default. Purely a mistake on Microsoft's part not to bundle modern .NET with their product and force software packaging hell.

[CamouflagedKiwi]

Sure, that's only made worse by the suggestion here to not install any version of it at all.