OT - Re: [SGVLUG] FYI - MS Heroes event in Anaheim 4/8 get MS sww/o paying

[Emerson, Tom (*IC)]

> -----Original Message----- Of Jason Riker
> 
> Anyway, the real bummer here is that the software I received 
> is crippled! Server 2008 is only a 1 year evaluation and the 
> SQL Server is a Developer CTP, which I believe prohibits you 
> from using it commercially.  These were the only two I 
> wanted.  What a load of crap!

What, you expected Microsoft be suddenly become an idiot? :)  They're
just doing what any good pusher does -- gives you that first "taste" for
free...

That said, a year (especially for "evaluation") is a fairly long time.
I suppose, though (in theory), you could attend several of these
"events" and pick up a 1-year license from each one.  Figuring a 5 year
life cycle before "the next great version" comes out, you would only
need to attend 4 more events (hmmm... Wonder what airfare, hotel, and
time off from work would compare to the cost of the product?)  [that is,
of course, if Microsoft set it up as a 1-year-from-installation license
-- if they were smart and put in an explicit termination date of April
2009, well...]

As for SQL server, the in-the-bag version is a developer version, but
you should have also gotten a "coupon" of sorts that allows you to get
the complete version once it "actually ships" [I think -- don't have it
in front of me right now]  though I suspect it will also have a time or
use limitation as well.

I think, though, overall Microsoft is getting wise to the idea of giving
away the tools for free [as in beer] so that anything developed by "some
average Joe in his garage" would require an eventual investment in "the
rest" of the product line.

We need to reach those "Joe"'s to inform them that development with Gnu
tools are just as free (monetarily) and even freer in the long run
[morally free, as well as the fact that his "customers" need not spend
$$$ on "the rest" of the product line]