If you have a TechNet subscription, and you don't renew it, can you still use the software you installed?

[BigToque]

I've always been interested in getting a TechNet subscription just to try out all the new programs. I'm always messing around with things.

I'm just curious though, say I got the subscription and download Windows 7 Ultimate and Office (whatever the full version is) and decided to not renew my subscription the next year, do I have to uninstall those programs?

Obviously from an end user perspective it seems like a good idea as both products combined have a higher retail value than the cost of the subscription.

I would assume the licence is tied to the subscription, but I didn't see anything about it on their site.

 

[lxskllr]

Everything I've heard says you can keep using the software.

 

[PhaZe]

It's not tied to the subscription. My subscription was expired for one month and everything worked fine. I just renewed in hopes of getting win 7 and the new office.

 

[JDMnAR1]

Yes, that is one of the biggest differences between the TechNet/MSDN subscription and Action Pack sub. With the Action Pack, your legal right to use the software expires when your subscription does. With the other two, you can legally use the software permanently, you just no longer have access to continued updates and other subscriber resources.

 

[mshan]

Is there a difference between Technet and MSDN?

edit: MSDN looks much mor expensive (targeted at corporations or businesses?)

 

[mugs]

The Technet license is for evaluation only. What does MS consider to be evaluation? I'm not sure that they would consider permanent installation of the software on your primary PC to be evaluation.

 

[JDMnAR1]

Originally posted by: mshan
Is there a difference between Technet and MSDN?

edit: MSDN looks much mor expensive (targeted at corporations or businesses?)

MSDN is geared more towards developers, including things like all of the development tools, SDKs and DDKs, and beta releases.

Originally posted by: mugs
The Technet license is for evaluation only. What does MS consider to be evaluation? I'm not sure that they would consider permanent installation of the software on your primary PC to be evaluation.

From a discussion I had with a MS Licensing rep on this very issue, his explanation boiled down to the fact that they don't want you running your business on it. Of course, take that with a grain of salt as if you ask five different MS reps this question, you are likely to get five different answers. Of course, given the MS software update cycle, are you ever really finished evaluating it?