Kenneth Ismert
kismert at sbcglobal.net
Sun Jul 16 10:47:57 CDT 2006
Hadyn, > Does this mean the runtime will now cost to deploy? Or is this > talking about developer licensing? VSTA is a scripting add-on for software companies that want to sell VSTA-scriptable applications. The software company bears the cost of licensing (which then gets passed to the customer). See (bottom of page): Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Applications --------------------------------------------------- http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/extend/vsta/default.aspx VSTO is the development/scripting environment for Office. VSTO and VSTA appear to be closely related. For example, the improved VBA migration in VSTA will likely make it to Access 2007. You purchase VSTO in a number of ways: Purchasing Visual Studio 2005 ----------------------------- http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/howtobuy/default.aspx It is harder to find good information on the Access runtime. For Access 2003, you can get the Access Runtime with VSTO. This licenses you to distribute a (limited) runtime solution, royalty-free: Visual Studio 2005 Product Line Overview ---------------------------------------- http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/products/compare/default.aspx Obtain and deploy the Access 2003 runtime ----------------------------------------- http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011208861033.aspx Overview of Office 2003 Developer Technologies ---------------------------------------------- http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dno2k3ta/html/office2003overviewdevelopertechnologies.asp (exerpt) The Access 2003 Runtime license allowing royalty-free distribution comes with the Microsoft Office Access 2003 Developer Extensions, which is a component of Visual Studio Tools for Office version 2003. A developer who is licensed for this product can bundle a solution (.mdb files and any other support files) with the Access 2003 Runtime and distribute it to as many users as necessary. There is no limit to the number of distributions or the number of Access Runtime solutions that you can create using one license. The physical runtime files are included with Microsoft Office 2003 Professional Edition or Microsoft Office Access 2003, so you must also own a copy of one of these products, although this is not a requirement for the end customer. The Package Wizard, which comes with the Access 2003 Developer Extensions, helps you create a professional installation package for the solution. The Access 2003 Runtime is, in essence, Microsoft Office Access 2003, but with a few key features disabled. A user with an Access 2003 Runtime solution installed instead of full Access can open and run the solution (either an .mdb file or, with a few extra steps, a SQL Server back-end database) but does not see the Database Window and cannot switch the view of any Access object to the Design view. Microsoft Partner Program -- Ask the Partner Group: November Questions: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- http://members.microsoft.com/partner/nz/askthepartnergroup_nov.aspx (exerpt) Question 5: ...Access Runtime is now licensed through Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO) and MSDN Universal. If a developer creates a database using a VSTO/MSDN license they can then distribute their database to the end users by way of the Access Runtime license. However, as Access Runtime is included as part of the developer license, the license dictates that the users with Access Runtime must only be able to view the data within the database. If further access to the data (eg: changing tables, creating reports, etc) is undertaken, then a full version of Access is required for each device that has the ability to utilise this functionality. -Ken