MS Tech-Net - What is the catch?

[Brovane]

So anyway I bought MS Tech-Net last week for my personal use. I still keep thinking that there is a catch. I basically get access to everything that MS makes for around $280 with Tax. Office, Server anything I want. I am running VMware WS and I am loading up multiple virtual machines. What is the catch? I know that you are not supposeed to use MS Tech-Net in production, so I say personal use isn't production. Do the CD-keys expire? I keep thinking the MS police are going to come after me.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

There's no catch. It does almost seem like stealing though, considering all the software you get access to and the number of licenses you have for each.

The product keys do not expire.

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: Brovane
so I say personal use isn't production

Personal use *is* production unless you're using the products only for evaluation and testing (and etc, as in the technet terms).

 

[techs]

HUH. Insofar as software is Technet better than the Action pack which costs 299 a year?

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: Brovane
So anyway I bought MS Tech-Net last week for my personal use. I still keep thinking that there is a catch. I basically get access to everything that MS makes for around $280 with Tax. Office, Server anything I want. I am running VMware WS and I am loading up multiple virtual machines. What is the catch? I know that you are not supposeed to use MS Tech-Net in production, so I say personal use isn't production. Do the CD-keys expire? I keep thinking the MS police are going to come after me.

The catch is that it is a PER YEAR LICENSE. Not that the keys themselves expire after the year, but your right to use said software legally expires (provided you fail to renew your technet sub).

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: Brovane
So anyway I bought MS Tech-Net last week for my personal use. I still keep thinking that there is a catch. I basically get access to everything that MS makes for around $280 with Tax. Office, Server anything I want. I am running VMware WS and I am loading up multiple virtual machines. What is the catch? I know that you are not supposeed to use MS Tech-Net in production, so I say personal use isn't production. Do the CD-keys expire? I keep thinking the MS police are going to come after me.

The catch is that it is a PER YEAR LICENSE. Not that the keys themselves expire after the year, but your right to use said software legally expires (provided you fail to renew your technet sub).

http://technet.microsoft.com/e...riptions/ms772427.aspx

What is TechNet Plus?

TechNet Plus is a subscription program designed to help IT Professionals prepare for critical issues and plan for future deployments by providing them with fast and convenient access to the latest software for evaluation without time or feature limits; beta releases; Professional Support incidents; and other technical information and tools to get their jobs done faster. Read the TechNet Plus Overview for a list of the features included with a TechNet Plus subscription.

The license is valid forever. When your subscription expires you simply cannot access the TechNet portal any longer.

 

[Nothinman]

I know that you are not supposeed to use MS Tech-Net in production, so I say personal use isn't production.

It's more of a moral decision than anything but for personal use they probably won't care, but the minute you cross into business usage you're on shaky ground.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
It's more of a moral decision than anything but for personal use they probably won't care, but the minute you cross into business usage you're on shaky ground.

Exactly! I find it very useful. I'm retired, at home, and no business interests, and it lets me keep my 4 computers up to snuff at a decent price. BTW - subsequent annual renewals are much less than the initial subscription fee. Microsoft does not lose - it gets solid money up front and cuts out a lot of piracy. In that vein, do not abuse the privilege.

Welcome to the club!

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

I know that you are not supposeed to use MS Tech-Net in production, so I say personal use isn't production.

It's more of a moral decision than anything but for personal use they probably won't care, but the minute you cross into business usage you're on shaky ground.

Pretty much. If TechNet was prohibited for personal use MS would likely state that specifically and explicitly, like they do with the Action Pack.

 

[Brovane]

Originally posted by: corkyg

Originally posted by: Nothinman
It's more of a moral decision than anything but for personal use they probably won't care, but the minute you cross into business usage you're on shaky ground.

Exactly! I find it very useful. I'm retired, at home, and no business interests, and it lets me keep my 4 computers up to snuff at a decent price. BTW - subsequent annual renewals are much less than the initial subscription fee. Microsoft does not lose - it gets solid money up front and cuts out a lot of piracy. In that vein, do not abuse the privilege.

Welcome to the club!

Thanks - I don't intend to do any business use. I am doing a lot of work with VMware workstation and I didn't want to pay multiple times for the same OS. Tech Net seems like the perfect solution. MS gets some money and I don't have to get pirated software.

 

[Blazer]

280 with tax, may i ask where ?

 

[Brovane]

Originally posted by: blazer
280 with tax, may i ask where ?

I just did a google search - tech-net coupons and found one that gave me 25% off.

http://www.retailmenot.com/view/technet.com

One of the 25% off worked for me last week.

 

[rockyct]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

I know that you are not supposeed to use MS Tech-Net in production, so I say personal use isn't production.

It's more of a moral decision than anything but for personal use they probably won't care, but the minute you cross into business usage you're on shaky ground.

It also would be very shady if you started giving keys out to friends. You get 10 keys of each Vista/Win7/Office flavor, so you've got like 40-50 keys of one general item.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

I'm surprised I never knew of this. All of this sounds incredible.

 

[Engineer]

25%-OFF Special TechNet Plus Subscription Promotion ?
Use Promotion Code TMSAM01at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/subscription

For those who may be in the market...

 

[Blazer]

is win 7 32 & 64 bit [home pre and ultra] available now to download once subscribed, can anyone that has a sub check ?

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: blazer
is win 7 32 & 64 bit [home pre and ultra] available now to download once subscribed, can anyone that has a sub check ?

Yes, all of the Windows 7 RTM versions are available (Home, Pro, Ultimate) in both x32 and x64 flavors.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel

Originally posted by: blazer
is win 7 32 & 64 bit [home pre and ultra] available now to download once subscribed, can anyone that has a sub check ?

Yes, all of the Windows 7 RTM versions are available (Home, Pro, Ultimate) in both x32 and x64 flavors.

It's really tempting to cancel my two HP preorders and spend the extra $180 for technet...

 

[Brovane]

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel

Originally posted by: blazer
is win 7 32 & 64 bit [home pre and ultra] available now to download once subscribed, can anyone that has a sub check ?

Yes, all of the Windows 7 RTM versions are available (Home, Pro, Ultimate) in both x32 and x64 flavors.

It's really tempting to cancel my two HP preorders and spend the extra $180 for technet...

Remember you also get pretty much everything that MS makes. So you can load Visio, Project and Office Ultimate.

 

[Blazer]

i have been reading the agreement pages and it states that only myself can use the pc onto which the software is installed, could there be issues if a single copy was used for a media pc, another copy for home server and another for the lappy, other than my personal pc.

and then the benchmark statment, which i am not likely to benchmark a pc anyhow, seems there's alot open doors left open as far as ms is concerned.

are there any other hidden/unhidden charges that may appear after registration.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Brovane

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel

Originally posted by: blazer
is win 7 32 & 64 bit [home pre and ultra] available now to download once subscribed, can anyone that has a sub check ?

Yes, all of the Windows 7 RTM versions are available (Home, Pro, Ultimate) in both x32 and x64 flavors.

It's really tempting to cancel my two HP preorders and spend the extra $180 for technet...

Remember you also get pretty much everything that MS makes. So you can load Visio, Project and Office Ultimate.

I already have 3-license Office Ultimate. I have no idea what Visio and Project are.

 

[Brovane]

Originally posted by: blazer
i have been reading the agreement pages and it states that only myself can use the pc onto which the software is installed, could there be issues if a single copy was used for a media pc, another copy for home server and another for the lappy, other than my personal pc.

and then the benchmark statment, which i am not likely to benchmark a pc anyhow, seems there's alot open doors left open as far as ms is concerned.

are there any other hidden/unhidden charges that may appear after registration.

There is no hidden chargers other than you have to pay a yealy fee of $250 for MS Tech-net. However the licensce keys never expire. So you could get Tech-net get all the software you want and then not renew. However you wouldn't get new stuff as it comes out if you let it expire. For example if you get it now and then after it expires office 2010 comes out you couldn't D/L unless you renew again.

Ok technically for the EULA you couldn't do it unless you where using the PC. Practically if you load the software on your home PC's MS is not going to come after you. If you are running a small business and load it on 10-work PC's MS will come after you if they find out. So you are safe as long as you keep it at home. Just don't start loading it on friends and family computers.

 

[Brovane]

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: Brovane

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel

Originally posted by: blazer
is win 7 32 & 64 bit [home pre and ultra] available now to download once subscribed, can anyone that has a sub check ?

Yes, all of the Windows 7 RTM versions are available (Home, Pro, Ultimate) in both x32 and x64 flavors.

It's really tempting to cancel my two HP preorders and spend the extra $180 for technet...

Remember you also get pretty much everything that MS makes. So you can load Visio, Project and Office Ultimate.

I already have 3-license Office Ultimate. I have no idea what Visio and Project are.

MS Project is a project management software. You can use it to setup tasks, timelines etc if you are doing a Project. It is more for corporate use.

MS Visio is used to diagram out a map of a building, server rack diagrams, etc. It is also more for corporate use. I use them both daily in my work so I find it usefull to have on my home computer. I also find it very usefull when I am creating maps for my role-playing games.

MS tech-net is great if you love to fiddle with your computers at home. Want to build a Server 2008 machine. NP just go to tech-net and D/L. Want to setup Exchange 2008 on this server, NP just go to tech-net and D/L.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Brovane

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: Brovane

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel

Originally posted by: blazer
is win 7 32 & 64 bit [home pre and ultra] available now to download once subscribed, can anyone that has a sub check ?

Yes, all of the Windows 7 RTM versions are available (Home, Pro, Ultimate) in both x32 and x64 flavors.

It's really tempting to cancel my two HP preorders and spend the extra $180 for technet...

Remember you also get pretty much everything that MS makes. So you can load Visio, Project and Office Ultimate.

I already have 3-license Office Ultimate. I have no idea what Visio and Project are.

MS Project is a project management software. You can use it to setup tasks, timelines etc if you are doing a Project. It is more for corporate use.

MS Visio is used to diagram out a map of a building, server rack diagrams, etc. It is also more for corporate use. I use them both daily in my work so I find it usefull to have on my home computer. I also find it very usefull when I am creating maps for my role-playing games.

MS tech-net is great if you love to fiddle with your computers at home. Want to build a Server 2008 machine. NP just go to tech-net and D/L. Want to setup Exchange 2008 on this server, NP just go to tech-net and D/L.

I have Server 2008, Server 2008 R2, Office 2007 Ultimate and Windows 7 Pro all via academic sources.

The main benefit would be that I could upgrade my roommate's system.., but that would violate the TOS so I guess I'll just keep what I've got!