Slashdot Mirror

MSDNAA licenses are only valid while you are a student, and only for using as part of your education.

Sorry, but that's patently untrue. You can no longer acquire or activate new licenses, but your existing licensed installations definitely remain valid after you're no longer a student (see the license agreement paragraph 2a "End of Student Status". To quote from there:

b. End of Student Status. The DreamSpark Direct Subscription is a special offering for students. Once you no longer qualify for the DreamSpark Direct Subscription (due to graduation or otherwise no longer meeting the definition of "you" above), your DreamSpark Direct Subscription will terminate; however, you may continue to use the software you obtained prior to termination of your student status subject to the terms of this agreement.

Of course, the catch is that you're not allowed to use the software for commercial or entertainment purposes but only to "further your education" (i.e., to enlarge Microsoft's mindshare)--but that's the premise of the license in the first place, even while you're a student.

You didn't "get" a copy for $0, they only lent you a license.

Sadly, that's how the proprietary software business has been working for years at this point, by tying the base to online services.

VS2013 Pro is also available for free to students (as is SQL server and a bunch of other MS tools).

You just need a ".edu" email address and sign up at DreamSpark

Microsoft does not want kids coding based on what they DO rather than on what they SAY. They used to supply a simple basic interpreter with every copy of MS-DOS that cost nothing and was simple to use. That is long gone and nothing has ever taken its place. If kids want to code now, the options are expensive, complicated, and are not included in the price of 'Windows.'

Apparently, Slashdotters are truly ignorant about Dreamspark, as this is the third time I've had to post it. Let me spell it out for you. From the FAQ:

What is DreamSpark?
DreamSpark is a Microsoft Program that supports technical education by providing access to Microsoft software for learning, teaching and research purposes.
DreamSpark is simple: it's all about giving students Microsoft professional-level developer and designer tools at no cost so that students can chase their dreams and create the next big breakthrough in technology - or just get a head start on their career.
High schools, vocational and trade schools, community colleges and universities are all eligible to participate in the DreamSpark program. Simply put, any accredited school around the world is eligible.

Emphasis mine. Here is a sampling of the software available:

• Visual Studio Professional versions 2008 through 2013
• Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Pro
• Microsoft Expression Studio 4 Ultimate
• Kinect for Windows SDK
• XNA Game Studio 4
• Kodu Game Lab
• Small Basic
• Microsoft Mathematics 4
• Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio
• etc...

Kids should be given FULL copies of Visual Studio

Here you go.

There are a lot of articles about what Microsoft "Should" be doing recently. IMO Microsoft is already going above and beyond when it comes to providing students free developer tools: https://www.dreamspark.com/

I can't even find a students version.

Try DreamSpark...

I'm probably going to sound like a shill but I'm not. I've been in the Microsoft World my entire life. They have a lot of tools (in a lot of cases free) to help people learn it's just that you have to find them.

go to http://borntolearn.mslearn.net/

To learn about not only classes and books to get certified but also free videos on what the exams use.

And the FREE tools. Some are time limited from 90 or 180 days. You can get free copies of Hyper-V ( http://blogs.technet.com/b/keithmayer/archive/2013/04/05/getting-started-with-hyper-v-server-2012-hyperv-virtualization-itpro.aspx#.UbH21efI58E ) , Free Copies of Windows 8 (90 days), Server 2012 (180 days http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/evaluate/trial-software.aspx ), Free copies of SQL Server 2012 ( http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/get-sql-server/try-it.aspx ), and so on. All you need to do is provide a machine to run them on. I have the free Hyper-V running free copies of windows 8, server 2012, and Sql server for my learning environment. Sure they are timed and you have to start over every so often but who cares it just gets easer sinc eyou know what you are doign the secord/thrid time around or you can also use the free virtual labs at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/virtuallabs

Other resoruces Microsoft DreamSpark if you want to go that route https://www.dreamspark.com/

Channel 9 http://channel9.msdn.com/

Microsoft Virtual Academy https://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/

Microsoft Springboard series that covers new topics for ITs. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/springboard

If you can go the Hypter-V route microsoft will soemtimes have preloaded virtual machines that have everything configured and ready to learn off of. can't find my links for the ones in the past I've used but once you keep up to date with the other resources you see.

You can also see if you can get some of this software through Dreamspark for free. They have Windows Server editions, SQL Server Std editions, and other software that is at no cost to you as a student (or former student). You might have to check with your school first to see if they've set this up, but if they have, it's a great resource. You won't be able to get Exchange this way, but full versions of WinServer that you can use to set up a sandbox VM with a full version of MSSQL.

Is it for a lab or is it for a production use? If it is for a lab, in the US with US pricing you can get 3 years of electronic software delivery + DVD for $1437. I quoted you the most expensive option by the way, it can easily go down to a $100 instead. I'm sure versions of this program outside the US would be even cheaper.

https://www.dreamspark.com/institution/subscription.aspx

Google will simply stop offering free GApps for Education for Massachusetts Schools and Non-Profits. That's OK.

Really? And that's good how? So local IT staff can manage the in-house mail and document management system in their spare time?

School flock to Google to save money on software and administration. How is this different from Microsoft offering free software to teachers and students?

It should be noted that students have access to the full Visual Studio suite, alongside the Expression suite and Windows Server (I think it goes back to 2003 up to 2012) through DreamSpark. I've used it in the past and I have to say this is one of the nice things Microsoft does in comparison to, say, Adobe. Autodesk also provides free educational software, but theirs is branded as such whereas Microsoft's stuff seems like the full Professional versions with no strings attached.

Microsoft is generally pay-for, even in College. Reduced functionality at a reduce cost, but still a cost. Also have to worry about the costs just to run Windows that the Shills never mention. Unless of course you are never going to connect to anything, use external media, pay for the license to use Windows, etc..

Whether or not I get tagged as a shill... When I was doing my graduate work, I downloaded Visual Studio and other stuff for free from Dreamspark. Probably need to check the licensing stuff once again, but I'm still using it. Never cost me a dime.

BizSpark
DreamSpark
WebsiteSpark
SQL 180-day trial
SQL Express
Azure free trial

FWIW: Microsoft gives away the full version to students. https://www.dreamspark.com/default.aspx

It may also depend on the IDE version, perhaps. I've seen this in both the student version of the full VS2010 distributed through DreamSpark and the free Visual C++ 2010 Express; perhaps the MSDN-distributed version of VS2010 includes IntelliSense components these don't.

I want to recommend a curriculum from Alpha Omega that my two high school aged boys are currently using. The online curriculum blends real time quiz and test grading with teacher/parent graded items and they offer a wide range of subjects from K-12. The Computer Information System electives for the high school students address what is typically taught in the high schools in this area but Alpha Omega has chosen to base their classwork on OpenOffice which I thought was refreshing.

The direct links to the electives are:

Business Computer Information Systems 1-A
Business Computer Information Systems 1-B

If you are less interested in business computer information systems and more interested in plain computer science I would like to suggest
DreamSpark by Microsoft. It is a plan offered to students that gives them access to all the MS tools for one year. On package they tout as providing a great introduction to programming is their Kodu programming and game platform that allows students to quickly begin programming and playing the games they create.

Don't forget Microsoft Dreamspark which offers Visual Studio and other developer tools for free for students.

There are PLENTY of other tools other than visual studio that can be used to develop for windows. Free. In many different languages too!

A bit off topic, but Microsoft actually offers Visual Studio and many other tools for free to students via DreamSpark. Not old and outdated either, newest versions and such. I have always been anti-MS but this actually seems like a sensible move to encourage develpment.

hence you see why many universities just tell students to shut up and buy MS office.

From what I've seen, most unis that standardize on MSOffice also have MSDNAA subscriptions, so you can get a copy for free as a student (and you actually get to keep the license even after you graduate).

And for developer tools, there's DreamSpark.

"Only on a Mac" is no different from the "only on a Windows box" development for Windows Mobile.

Philisophically its no different.

In practice its worlds apart.

Mac has what? 90% marketshare of the home market. So in practice, its not all that unreasonable to "assume" the family has a "free PC". 90% of them actually do.

And the 10% that have a mac can add windows to it for ~$100. Or you can buy a whole laptop for $300.
The 90% that have a PC would have to buy a Mac, and there isn't a Mac at the $300 price point.

Bottom line, in practice, the cost of entry to get windows if your a mac owner is pretty low, while the reverse is not true. And in an average pool of kids most of them will already have access to a windows PC, far fewer will already have access to a mac. So, no, "only on Windows" is not really the same thing as "only on OSX" in the real world.

And Visual Studio, last time I checked, did not ship with all PCs... unlike X-Code's presence on Mac (if you choose to install it).

Visual Studio is only a download a way:

The express versions are free to all.
http://www.microsoft.com/express/Downloads/

High school and post secondary school students also have access to:
https://www.dreamspark.com/default.aspx
Which gives them access to Server 2008, SQL Server, and Pro development tools for free (for non-commercial use).

Microsoft is pretty decent to students if you ask me. What sucks is graduating university, and losing it. Although a Technet Subscription or MSDN subscription is pretty good for what you get.

That's the damn catch. MS apparently figures that few enough people need SUA that they can use it as an incentive to sell the highest (most expensive) editions. I disagree with this philosophy - I think that the whole feature should be more highlighted, and more available - but they didn't ask me.

Incidentally, all editions of Windows Server can use it, and students can get Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition from http://dreamspark.com/ Since Server is essentially a superset of the functionality in the Client builds, if you want fancy features but don't want to buy Ultimate (and you're a student) then getting Server is probably the best bet.

And if you're a student you can get VS2008 Pro (and 2010 Ultimate it appears now) for nothing from here

I'll be honest; I'm not sure why there's so much delay before the general release anyhow. The RTM build was signed off on months ago, and went up for MSDN subscribers (a very small portion of the general public, but often people with very little connection to MS) only a few days later. At my school, through the MSDN Academic Alliance program (free MS software to endingeering students) we've been able to get Win7 for some weeks (and via http://dreamspark.com/ all students with a .edu email address can get Server 2008 R2, the server version of the Win7 release).

So... why so long before boxes hit shelves? It seems very odd to me.

If you're a student, you can also get Visual Studio 2008 Professional (and a few other things) for free under a student license at http://www.dreamspark.com/

The free, yes FREE, IDE that I use is Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition (Visual Basic, C#, C++). Unfortunately it's a student only deal at certain Universities, but check out the Microsoft Dreamspark program at http://www.dreamspark.com/ for more information.

For Java development I use Eclipse and NetBeans. I've only just began using Eclipse and will be using it when I start my new job, so it's likely I will sway that way and stick with Eclipse over NetBeans in the long run.

Finally, PHP and web development, as far as free tools I use Notepad++ for these. I haven't looked at the appropriate plugins for Eclipse or NetBeans yet, but then I don't exactly have reason to because I'm rather happy with Dreamweaver.

Hate to mention this (y'know, here, but Microsoft has already been doing this for ?? don't know.

Microsoft also has free (again, as in beer) versions of much of their software available to students.

https://www.dreamspark.com/

This includes Visual Studio 2005/2008 Professional Edition, and Server 2003/2008.