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so are the free technet subscribers canclled or not?

4

4537256

Senior member
i signed up for the supposed 1 year free subscription to technet last night. i was able to download vista sp2 and got a few keys like everyone else, but today i cant, well according to other forums, no body can it seems. its just not clear if this is just a server issue or if it was a glitch and MS cancelled us all?
i can still log in, just cant download no more.

just wondered if anyone here knew for sure. i googled around and didnt come up with anything other than the news of the free subscription.
 
Offhand, it sounds like a mistake or somebody handed out an Offer Code that was supposed to be limited to a select few. I've never seen mass free subscriptions to TechNet.

It makes no sense for MS to offer free Technet Plus subscriptions to the general public. Even with a very time-limited subscription, the subscribers could download a LOT of software and Keys. And, as far as I know, unlike Action Pack licenses, Technet licenses never expire.
 
depends if you were legit or not...

I work part time for a home theater company. That does PC, satellite, networking, and home theater work. I was able to be honest and got through and I am having no problems.

Though I am curious what i can do with all this now? I am allowed to install vista, office and other stuff on office computers?
 
Looks like what happened is that, a while back, Microsoft set up a Survey Form for IT folks to fill out. Upon completion, you got a link for a free one-year TechNet Plus subscription. The Survey was closed a while back and this program was supposed to have ended.

Unfortunately, Ars Technica posted the link to the Subscription signup form, which was still functional. A lot of folks, who hadn't filled out the Survey, went directly to the link and signed up for the Subscription. MS discovered the problem and is now taking action.

MS seldom invalidates Keys. About the only time it does is with leaked Volume License keys. So it's likely that if you got the ISO downloaded and got a Key, the software will likely continue to work. The terms of use for the software are available on MS' TechNet site. TechNet Plus software is supposed to only be used for "evaluation purposes", by licensed users.
 
Originally posted by: RebateMonger
Looks like what happened is that, a while back, Microsoft set up a Survey Form for IT folks to fill out. Upon completion, you got a link for a free one-year TechNet Plus subscription. The Survey was closed a while back and this program was supposed to have ended.

Unfortunately, Ars Technica posted the link to the Subscription signup form, which was still functional. A lot of folks, who hadn't filled out the Survey, went directly to the link and signed up for the Subscription. MS discovered the problem and is now taking action.

MS seldom invalidates Keys. About the only time it does is with leaked Volume License keys. So it's likely that if you got the ISO downloaded and got a Key, the software will likely continue to work. The terms of use for the software are available on MS' TechNet site. TechNet Plus software is supposed to only be used for "evaluation purposes", by licensed users.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification. I hope i dont get taken off, i filled out survey.
 
Originally posted by: KeypoX
depends if you were legit or not...

I work part time for a home theater company. That does PC, satellite, networking, and home theater work. I was able to be honest and got through and I am having no problems.

Though I am curious what i can do with all this now? I am allowed to install vista, office and other stuff on office computers?
Click to expand...

Technet is supposed to be for your personal use in testing and evaluation, It is not supposed to be used for production machines.

As of 10 minutes ago, I could still get keys and download software. Needless to say, I have a ton of stuff qued up to download while the getting is good.
 
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Originally posted by: KeypoX
depends if you were legit or not...

I work part time for a home theater company. That does PC, satellite, networking, and home theater work. I was able to be honest and got through and I am having no problems.

Though I am curious what i can do with all this now? I am allowed to install vista, office and other stuff on office computers?
Click to expand...

Technet is supposed to be for your personal use in testing and evaluation, It is not supposed to be used for production machines.
Click to expand...

yet they give full retail licenses? So does the retail license agreement surpass the agreement with technet?

Seems a bit circular.
 
forums all over had everyone grabbing every key it would generate and now handing em all out to who ever, doesnt matter though cause MS didnt lose any sales as we all know all those peeps either would have or already had pirated OS's anyway. one guy posted he's selling them. lol
its just a good thing this mistake happened now, so late in Vista's life and didnt happen right after W7's release.
 
I had emailed Tech Support when I couldn't order the product from the link Ars provided. Here is their reply:

Thank you for your email regarding the TechNet plus Consumer Service Professional Pilot subscription.

We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused you. We have researched the information you have provided. The link was intended for the exclusive purpose of providing our designated survey participants with a 5 Month TechNet plus Direct subscription, and was somehow posted to the public domain. Those participants will get a free 5 Month subscription and will be participating in an exhaustive series of surveys during the subscription year. We already have the number of participants added, and there is no room for additional participants. Only participants in the survey are entitled to the free Subscription.

Thank you for contacting Microsoft.


Barbara
Microsoft TechNet Subscription Team

E-mail: Tsubserv@microsoft.com

Phone: (800) 344-2121

Fax: (661) 244-4993
Click to expand...
 
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