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Microsoft Tech Net Subscribers Club

I will be getting a subscription now that I have a good homelab environment in which to run and test all this stuff most notably the enterprise products such as Server 2012. There are other trial licenses available for the server OS's and such but still think will be worth it for me (and the trials are only six months). The new terms are definitely unfortunate, though.
 
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qubit said:
Dumb post? Who are you to judge my posts? Speak for yourself. :slap:
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I thought it was dumb, therefore I should judge it. You might as well have told him to stay away from the internet or something. Why would you avoid MS? It's just a stupid advice.

Anyway, If you want it, get it. :)

Just counting software/cost it's still worth it, and I do get that MS wants us too use it as intended, but it's not the same anymore.. I wish I could afford it. :p
 
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Yeah like usual a couple of selfish and inconsiderate morons ruined a good thing for everybody else for a little bit of temporary profit. To say nothing of unethical/criminal behavior.
 
I only have a standard subscription currently and if i was to upgrade to Pro do they still give you 5 license keys for each product or have they reduced that as well?
 
Bummer people. Looks like Microsoft retired TechNet subscription service on August 31, 2013.
 
what :/
 
Microsoft got rid of the service all together ,Shame too it was an awesome service to use and test new old software with ,I personally never sold any of my keys ,Shame some pirates on the Internet ruined it for the rest of us.Now i`m just waiting to see if my keys for Vista to Windows 8 (Office 2010-13) will deactivate even though my terms of service where before last July 16 th.Now we all have to spend on a MSND subscription and can only get it if we have proof of business license or something like that.

Effective September 1, 2013, TechNet Subscriptions are no longer available for purchase through the TechNet Subscriptions website. Subscribers may activate purchased subscriptions through September 30, 2013.



Microsoft is retiring the TechNet Subscriptions service and discontinued sales on August 31, 2013. Subscribers with active accounts may continue to access program benefits until their current subscription period concludes.

More background on Microsoft’s decision is available on the TechNet Subscriptions homepage.
 
uggggh, and i bet all new versions of windows end up on yearly subsciptions
 
Updated OP, thanks GLD and H82LUZ73.

Shame. It was great, people took advantage and Microsoft made it suck but still viable, now it's gone for good.

Agreed Mussels, inb4 Windows 365.
 
H82LUZ73 said:
. Subscribers may activate purchased subscriptions through September 30, 2013.
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You mean the subscription needs to be activated or the keys have to be activated (means keys no longer activated after september 30th)?
 
suraswami said:
You mean the subscription needs to be activated or the keys have to be activated (means keys no longer activated after september 30th)?
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The keys will activate, but if you did like me and purchased a subscription at the last minute you have to go through the steps to activate it so you can access the technet subscriber area before Sept 30th.
 
Windows 8.1 is on Technet!

Well, if you are a Technet subscriber, then Windows 8.1 (Standard and Pro in same ISOs) has been posted for download and to get your product keys, as of 9/9/2013.

Sign-in and get 'em.

Also, in case anyone is interested...

Microsoft is providing active subscribers with a free, one-time, 90 day extension

The free, 90 day subscription extension is available for customers whose TechNet Subscriptions:
1.Were active as of September 1, 2013
2.Expire on or before September 30, 2014
3.Have not been granted through the Volume Licensing program
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95Viper said:
Windows 8.1 is on Technet!
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That's a pleasant surprise. Initial reports were saying that TN subscribers wouldn't get it any earlier than the retail release date.

How many keys did they give you?

Let us know what it's like. :)
 
I've been a subscriber since last summer, glad I did too. For the price of a single copy of Windows, you get access to their entire software database.
 
Red_Machine said:
I've been a subscriber since last summer, glad I did too. For the price of a single copy of Windows, you get access to their entire software database.
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pity its gone now
 
Red_Machine said:
I've been a subscriber since last summer, glad I did too. For the price of a single copy of Windows, you get access to their entire software database.
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Its too bad most people didn't use it the way it was supposed to be used. The software was not supposed to be installed permanently on your main computer/s. It was meant for testing the software to decide if it fit your needs and then you were supposed to purchase the software separately to install permanently.

Really, the people saying "Oh it was such a great deal" are reason the program got shut down.

95Viper said:
I've got a standard subscription... so you you get two (2).
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The Professional subscription gives you 3, as well as giving you keys for the Enterprise versions of Windows which allow you to activate them a lot more than the normal keys do.
 
newtekie1 said:
Really, the people saying "Oh it was such a great deal" are reason the program got shut down.
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Yeah that and some cases of blatant piracy apparently. And not trying to call anyone out but Rhino's (I believe it was) comment about knowing a bunch of "unhappy small businesses now"...well shit like that didn't help either. Not at all the programs intent and could really argue such hurt MS sales to a degree (which devs and media companies always scream but is not always at least completely the case).
 
Wrigleyvillain said:
Yeah that and some cases of blatant piracy apparently. And not trying to call anyone out but Rhino's (I believe it was) comment about knowing a bunch of "unhappy small businesses now"...well shit like that didn't help either. Not at all the programs intent and could really argue such hurt MS sales to a degree (which devs and media companies always scream but is not always at least completely the case).
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One could also argue that paying Microsoft hundreds of pounds/dollars per year for mere trial software is taking the piss.

Microsoft 100% knew that people would use it as their main production software since there are no time or functionality limits on TN software and the fact that they kept the program going for a very long 15 years shows that this situation couldn't have done them much harm. If anything, it gave a big leg-up to their market penetration, which is what they were really after.

It's obvious why they're pulling TN now. Their recent misfires with W8 Metro and other areas are leading to lost sales, so they're pulling the noose tighter in a bid to stem the flow. Of course, this won't work and serves only to alienate their customer base, who now have more choice than before to use alternative products. Witness the fact that W8.1 is now available on TN before retail release after first saying it wouldn't be, another U-turn. Instead of retaining their monopoly, Microsoft are sinking down into a "me too" company and this is a sign of their desperation to keep hold of it.
 
I agree with you Q. Other than having any kind of O/S options. When your business uses specialized equipment running specialized software you have no choice other than using Windows.... I can't even use OSX if I wanted to.

In my industry it seems that software developers are stuck in the early 90's.... at least most things work with Windows 7 now.
 
qubit said:
One could also argue that paying Microsoft hundreds of pounds/dollars per year for mere trial software is taking the piss.
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Not really when you consider the actual cost of the software. Paying $350 to test your company's older software for compatibility with Server 2012 and Windows 7/8 is a small price compared to the $700 for Server 2012 base, and $150 for 5 CALs, and $700 for 5 copies of Windows 8. only to find out oops your software doesn't work with 2012 so now you have to shell out another $700 for 2008 R2 and hope that works.

But then again, I guess that is why they've replaced Technet with 90-120 day trials of most of their software.

qubit said:
Microsoft 100% knew that people would use it as their main production software since there are no time or functionality limits on TN software and the fact that they kept the program going for a very long 15 years shows that this situation couldn't have done them much harm. If anything, it gave a big leg-up to their market penetration, which is what they were really after.
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I'm sure they did, but up until recently Technet was pretty unknown. However, in the last 2-3 years it exploded in popularity. And most of the new subscribers were mis-using it. Again, another reason they retired it and went with free 90-120 day trials.

qubit said:
It's obvious why they're pulling TN now. Their recent misfires with W8 Metro and other areas are leading to lost sales, so they're pulling the noose tighter in a bid to stem the flow. Of course, this won't work and serves only to alienate their customer base, who now have more choice than before to use alternative products. Witness the fact that W8.1 is now available on TN before retail release after first saying it wouldn't be, another U-turn. Instead of retaining their monopoly, Microsoft are sinking down into a "me too" company and this is a sign of their desperation to keep hold of it.
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It is obvious to me, it has become to popular and too many people mis-use it. It has nothing to do with Win8 sales, they aren't stupid enough to think they can get back past sales by terminating future programs. Anyone that wanted to get Win8 through technet already has.
 
erocker said:
I agree with you Q. Other than having any kind of O/S options. When your business uses specialized equipment running specialized software you have no choice other than using Windows.... I can't even use OSX if I wanted to.

In my industry it seems that software developers are stuck in the early 90's.... at least most things work with Windows 7 now.
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Alldata?
 
@nt1

Your three points seem valid to me (not 100% sure about the first one but I get what you're saying) but I also don't think they're mutually exclusive with what I was saying about Microsoft's misfires either - and they really have been over the last few years. Otherwise you wouldn't see Steven Sinofsky leave suddenly like that at the hight of W8's launch and Ballmer leaving soon.

Unfortunately, ultimately none of us know all the factors leading to Microsoft's decision to pull TN since we're not privvy to the information and politics that top management is taking into account and I'm sure there are several others that we don't even know about all mixed up in there.
 
Wile E said:
Alldata?
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That's one of them. I just started using ShopKey and it is much, much, much better than AllData. There's also the software for my alignment machine, tire balancer CAD for wheel repair and a couple other OBD tools I have.
 
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