[dba-Tech] Technet / MSDN / Power Pack

Gustav,

Very valuable info...thank you!  I hope I can pass the tests!

Steve Erbach
Neenah, WI


On Mon, Apr 27, 2009 at 2:37 AM, Gustav Brock <Gustav at cactus.dk> wrote:
> Hi Jim and Steve
>
> No, it not so. The Action Pack, MSAP, is available for professionals somehow dealing with MS software for a living.
>
> This, however, doesn't provide developer tools - which in MS jargon is Visual Studio and Expression Suite. These are offered as part of the
>
>  Special Edition Web Solutions Toolkit
>
> for which you have to pass an "exam" to gain access.
> Read the old thread about this (some links only operational in IE):
>
>  http://databaseadvisors.com/pipermail/accessd/2007-October/055800.html
>
> To obtain VS 2008 Standard this way will take some time but you can get started right away with the free Express edition.
>
> /gustav
>
>
>>>> accessd at shaw.ca 27-04-2009 02:05 >>>
> My understanding was that this subscription was only available to
> individuals who had successfully completed a series/single exam(s). This
> limitation was added as some people were taking the subscriptions and
> reselling the products... not particularly smart as it was so easy to
> validate through MS updates.
>
> I spent a couple of hours, one evening, trying to find the testing section
> of the MS site after logging in.  I do not think I am particularly slow but
> I could not work my way through the various web site settings and timing-out
> pages so I gave up that idea. I guess that was the labyrinth part of the
> test.
>
> Maybe things have changed and if they have I would not mind continuing with
> the subscription.
>
> Jim
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Steve Erbach
> Sent: Sunday, April 26, 2009 9:25 AM
> To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
> Subject: [dba-Tech] Technet / MSDN / Power Pack
>
> Dear Group,
>
> Just last night I discovered that Microsoft has a service on its
> Technet site that gives you a year's subscription to all Microsoft
> software for "evaluation" purposes.  $349 a year allows you to
> download everything, including the Windows 7 Release Candidate,
> Windows Server 2008, etc.
>
> I wondered if any of you lot had a Technet subscription.  I believe
> that Rocky has a Power Pack (?) subscription which is different.  Some
> of you have MSDN subscriptions, too.  What do you think of them?  Have
> they been worth it?
>
> In '04 I found out from Hindman, I think, about the Microsoft ISV
> program.  I was able to get a full Universal MSDN subscription with 5
> licenses for Office, Windows, etc., for $295 a year for two years.
> THAT was very, very handy.
>
> I was considering setting up a Windows SBS 2008 or Windows Server 2008
> as a Virtual PC on my system since it's got some fairly good oomph (8
> GB RAM, dual core 3 GHz Intel processor, Raid 1 500 GB array).
>
> Any thoughts about Technet?
>
> Regards,
>
> Steve Erbach