Technet standard, or technet professional?

Maybe I missed this last year, but if so it wasn't because of being my normal sloppy self.

I decided to look at what MS wanted for a renewal and I saw these 2 options. The std version is $200 new, $150 for renewal. That's a lot more attractive than the $200-$250 I paid last year.

Pro version is $350 new, $250 renewal.

There are differences of course but what most here will want to know is if there are any meaningful differences in what you can dl.

As far as I can tell, no. All the stuff that is not in the std membership is enterprise, high-end commercial stuff.

But the thing that blew me away was the fucking list of shit that's available. I never saw even half of it in the Technet download list, so how the fuck were you supposed to get it? I swear to god there is so much software that I can't believe it hasn't imploded under its own weight and given birth to a binary star system.

(get it? Binary software . . . binary star . . . If you're about ready to punch me out, stand in line and wait your turn penis breath).

The link to the spreadsheet with the info is here. You'll either have to open it or save it - no option to view on line apparently.

If I can get the renewal for $150, I might go for it. I mean, there are other benefits as well so it's not JUST about the software.

Let's hear some opinions.

BTW, here is the link to the descriptions of each option.

After spending about a half hour trying to enter coupon codes for std membership, I finally realized that at the bottom of one of the pages there was an option to "downgrade" my expired membership to the standard version. Apparently I had signed up for the pro membership last year and spent $100 more than I needed to.

Oh well.

Dl'ed Office 2010 last night. Will give that a test drive. Also picked up the 2009 updates for Virtual PC.

[Frick]

I would like Technet a lot more if the licenses did not expire when you end the subscription.

[Nosada]

Originally Posted by Frick

I would like Technet a lot more if the licenses did not expire when you end the subscription.

They don't, I was one of the lucky few to get free technet subs for a while because some company made a mistake. I grabbed all the license keys I could and have been using them ever since.

Never had an issue with any of them.