technet reducing keys, again

[hclarkjr]

just found this posted today - Beginning in mid-March 2012, subscribers to TechNet Subscriptions (excluding TechNet Standard which are entitled to 2 keys per product) may access a maximum allocation of three (3) product keys for Microsoft Office and Windows Client products in connection with their subscription. The allotted keys may only be used for software evaluation purposes. Once the maximum keys have been activated, no more keys will be made available. Additional product keys may be acquired through the purchase of an additional subscription.

 

[hclarkjr]

thankfully i copy and pasted them to a document long time ago.

 

[ViRGE]

Well that bites.

 

[Steltek]

Figures that they would do this again, not even two weeks after I renewed my Technet Professional subscription.

I'll probably finish out this subscription and just won't renew.

 

[hclarkjr]

more than likely trying to cut down on people pirating windows 8 i would bet

 

[StinkyPinky]

It used to be ten keys right? All that did was people would sign up and sell 9 keys for a tidy profit.

Three is a bit stingy though. Although what's to stop getting 3 of Ultimate, 3 of Professional and so on?

 

[ViRGE]

more than likely trying to cut down on people pirating windows 8 i would bet

I'm sure it is. People selling Win7 keys was a huge problem. But that doesn't mean this is a great solution.

 

[seepy83]

I don't really think it's that big of a deal. How many keys do you really need for legitimate purposes that fall in line with the TechNet license agreement? You would get 3 licenses for each of the following: Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Starter, and Windows 7 Ultimate. There's also the N/K/KN versions for some of those. If that's not enough for you, then I suspect that you're not abiding by the license agreement.

 

[HexiumVII]

If you need more keys for windows, the enterprise serial can be used an incredible number of times. On your own for the other software though.

 

[Chiropteran]

You would get 3 licenses for each of the following: Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Starter, and Windows 7 Ultimate. There's also the N/K/KN versions for some of those. If that's not enough for you, then I suspect that you're not abiding by the license agreement.

It's actually even more. Unless they changed it when they reduced the keys, Enterprise (which has all the features of ultimate) uses a sort of volume license key.

You only get a single key, and the process to activate with it is a bit different, but that single key allows 500 activation.