Please tell me about MSDN accounts.

[GTaudiophile]

I have known of them for a long time but have never really researched them. I was talking to a friend recently and he told me that having (and paying for) an account is an easy and legal way to get all of the latest and greatest MS software. But when we talked about it, he (maybe mistakenly) quoted $300 or so for an account, but when I look on their subscriptions page, I see they START at $600 and go up from there. Even with this cheapest option, I would be unable to download what I want: Win7 Pro 64 and Office 2007/2010 Professional. I am just trying to find a way to get these two pieces of software without having to pay full retail for both. But it sounds like MSDN accounts may not quite be the best way?

 

[yinan]

Technet

 

[Blazer]

in the hot deals forum, http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=334700

things like this will kill it, http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2031465

 

[GTaudiophile]

So purchasing a TechNet subscription would allow me to DL the software I am looking for?

It also appears that any keys purchased during subscription remain valid after subscription expires.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Anyone? What is the catch I am missing here?

 

[Billb2]

Yes, technet will get you free software. There's also a free technet option (no software, but access to articles).

As an aside, there was a big fubar with MSDN about 6 months ago. A firm, hired by M$ to promote MSDN, mistakenly posted a public link for free access to MSDN. It lasted about a day until M$ cut it off. Many people, myself included, were able to download free keys as fast as we could, for that day. What? Everything M$ sells, and for free! It was hard to believe!

Then theer's The Ultimate Steal. About the best deal around.
http://www.microsoft.com/student/di...px?CR_CC=100211782&CR_SCC=100211782&WT.srch=1

 

[Raduque]

m$
m$
m$

stop that.

 

[SunnyD]

TechNet does NOT allow you access to EVERYTHING Microsoft offers. Probably a good 98% of it, but it does not provide you with development tools (compilers) nor does it provide you access to legacy software (read: Windows 3.11?).

The only option that gets you everything under the Microsoft umbrella I believe is MSDN Universal, which is something to the effect of a $6000 price tag.

If you simply need current Operating Systems and Business software (Office, etc), TechNet is a far better deal. If you need development tools, then MSDN is the way you want to go.