Changes to the popular TechNet program limit its usefulness.
Microsoft TechNet program has been recently changed to limit the use of software and allow reductions in what you get, even after purchase.
TechNet has been a popular program for IT professionals, developers and testers for many years. For a relatively low annual fee you got access to Microsoft products, desktop and server, for testing and development purposes. Not only did you get latest releases and previews but also past versions which are often needed for testing.
That once cost over a thousand dollars and involved deliveries of many CD/DVD’s sometimes for the most obscure software (“SQL Server 8 Hungarian language edition” anyone?).
These days with downloading options and a much more restrictive list of software, TechNet is a lot cheaper.
From July 2012 Microsoft further tightened up on TechNet features with some important changes.
Subscription model
Now all TechNet software is licensed only while you have a Technet subscription. If you stop your subscription you also have to stop using the Microsoft software acquired through the program.
Any changes, any time
The terms of use now allow Microsoft to change the TechNet subscription rules even after you bought it. In 2010, Microsoft overnight reduced the number of licenses available to existing subscribers from 10 licences apiece for various software to just two or five depending on their subscription level. No rebate or reduced price was offered for this change.
The revised terms of use make that condition more prominent so TechNet subscribers need to know that what they are offered upon purchase may not continue for the entire year.
For US$199 a year, the TechNet standard subscription is probably good value for anyone needing to test software. Using virtual machines (Hyper/V or VMWare) with TechNet supplied Windows is especially useful.
As we’ve often noted, there are limits on how you use TechNet software. In short, test and evaluation purposes only.
The limits mean that TechNet users need to be more careful about how they use their software licenses. For many short term tests it may be enough just to install but not activate the software because most products will permit use for a month or two before activation is essential.
