TechNet subscription service getting retired.

[erocker]

Lame news from Microsoft:

 

[suraswami]

This is dumb! Atleast MSDN stays?

 

[erocker]

This is dumb! Atleast MSDN stays?

Yeah. $699 for MSDN Operating Systems, $499 for renewal.

No longer worth the price.

 

[ironwolf]

Lots of abuse of the TechNet subs around the universe. Still lame. For many it was a cheap lunch, so to speak. Wonder if they are going to invalidate all the keys from the subs. I got a few friends who need to hear about this.

 

[newtekie1]

This is dumb! Atleast MSDN stays?

Yeah, but MSDN is expensive. I think they are retiring TechNet because it wan't being used as they intended. People were signing up to use the software as a permanent solution instead of an evaluation of the software.

 

[erocker]

I can't wait until M$'s O/S's are all subscription based... You know it's coming eventually.

 

[newtekie1]

I can't wait until M$'s O/S's are all subscription based... You know it's coming eventually.

I don't think they'll move that with with their O/S, though if they keep the "punishment" for not paying your subscription the same as they do for not activating currently then I'm fine with it. I rarely even put in a key for Win7 when I put it on my own computer.

 

[Mindweaver]

Well shit.. The day just keeps getting better and better... My sub Expires on 2/27/2014...

 

[ironwolf]

Link to the FAQ: (warning, it will give you a headache, lots of half-answers LOL)

http://technet.microsoft.com/subscriptions/ms772427

 

[qubit]

Bummer. It was such a cracking deal too. Since Microsoft made so much money over the last 15 years while they ran this service, I don't think piracy fears were the core reason to shut it down.

 

[Mindweaver]

Right after I posted here MS sent an email telling me.. lol It's funny how I hear about it like this before they sent the email.

EDIT: Also, at the top of the page when you log into TechNet you see this

 

[Nordic]

I was thinking of getting a subscription some time this year.

 

[Frick]

Bummer. It was such a cracking deal too. Since Microsoft made so much money over the last 15 years while they ran this service, I don't think piracy fears were the core reason to shut it down.

But "piracy" and not following the ToS was a problem. It's impossible to tell how it affected them, but i don't think I've encountered anyone who followed the ToS to the letter. Getting one sub for many people, selling keys (or selling computers with Windows installed, which happened to have a Technet license), downloading and then sharing.. It was great value and it always saddened me that I could never afford a sub, but to be honest I though it would end some day.

 

[qubit]

But "piracy" and not following the ToS was a problem. It's impossible to tell how it affected them, but i don't think I've encountered anyone who followed the ToS to the letter. Getting one sub for many people, selling keys (or selling computers with Windows installed, which happened to have a Technet license), downloading and then sharing.. It was great value and it always saddened me that I could never afford a sub, but to be honest I though it would end some day.

Surely Microsoft knew that subscibers would use the keys to pirate its products by illegally selling them on when it first started the subscription service and it still made billions in profit operating this way, so why the change of heart now? It also begs the question of why the deal was so generous in the first place. It would seem that it's more than just piracy fears that have killed off TechNet, but Microsoft aren't saying what it is.

It's looking very much like the rise of mobile computing, with Google's Android as the most popular operating system on these devices followed by Apple's iOS, is pushing Microsoft inexorably towards irrelevance and these are the thrashings of a company trying to avoid its fate, but going about it in all the wrong ways.

 

[Frick]

It's looking very much like the rise of mobile computing, with Google's Android as the most popular operating system on these devices followed by Apple's iOS, is pushing Microsoft inexorably towards irrelevance and these are the thrashings of a company trying to avoid its fate, but going about it in all the wrong ways.

I don't believe that is it. MS has to adapt obviously, but I wouldn't say they are being pushed to irrelevance, and these are not thrasings. If things go very badly for them that might happen in a couple of years, but not now.

And billions of dollars is fine until you realize you can have even more dollars.

 

[qubit]

I don't believe that is it. MS has to adapt obviously, but I wouldn't say they are being pushed to irrelevance, and these are not thrasings. If things go very badly for them that might happen in a couple of years, but not now.

And billions of dollars is fine until you realize you can have even more dollars.

Perhaps you're right, or perhaps it's all a bit of a grey area? I dunno, because MS doesn't exactly spell out their plans, so we all have to guess to some degree. I was drawing my conclusion from the shift to mobile and the fact that MS can't get traction there, including the poor sales figures of Windows 8.

However, here's another point of view, this time from a sysadmin, who tells a brutal story of how MS just don't give a shit about small or smaller players anymore and just want to go for the huge customers and make everything work in the cloud to extract more profits. Quite an enlightening read. See what you think.

The Register

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

Yep just another example of selfish asshats ruining a good thing for everyone.

 

[Frick]

Yep just another example of selfish asshats ruining a good thing for everyone.

On the other hand it is within their rights to do so. Entirely.

 

[natr0n]

"Downloads iso's of everything and in every language"

 

[Dos101]

Literally just as I renewed my subscription too. Well it was a good run while it lasted. At least they are still offering 90-180 day evaluation licenses for their products (which I imagine is more popular anyways, and keeps the licenses from being sold or put into production environments)

This is dumb! Atleast MSDN stays?

Yes but the MSDN equivalent to what we had with TechNet would cost you $6,119.

 

[erocker]

Maybe this will help Windows 8/8.1 sales? They seem to need it.

 

[suraswami]

May be I should I renew one last time? Oh wait none of the new stuff interests me!

 

[qubit]

May be I should I renew one last time? Oh wait none of the new stuff interests me!

Ditto.

 

[Frick]

Maybe this will help Windows 8/8.1 sales? They seem to need it.

It overtook Vista, so it's doing ok.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

Wow still 37% XP in 2013.