Acquiring VS.NET 2005

[Jeremy S.]

In the good ole days I used to buy the MSDN Universal subscription for 1500
bucks and have everything I needed.

But now MSDN seems like a big moving target. I read about how MS is totally
changing MSDN subscriptions and coming up with "smaller versions" or
packages targeting the little guy on up to huge corporate development shops.
Team versions for $15,000 bucks or some similarly outrageous price; but then
I read elsewhere that MS backed down from that aggressive pricing and will
now be offering everything cheaper.

Separately I've seen mention of free of SQL Server 2005 (called "Express" or
something like that for development purposes only) and different parts of
the IDE - but no clear presentation of what my options are.

So, what's current skinny on getting VS.NET 2005, SQL Server 2005, etc -
*without* getting the huge/expensive team version of MSDN (if they're still
offering that or calling it that).

I just want to learn the latest and greatest and I'm on a budget. I also
want to be learning the "real thing" - not WebMatrix or Cassini or other
knock-offs.

Thanks!

 

[Sparky Arbuckle]

Visual Web Developer 2005 is free download. You can also still, I
believe, request Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server and only have to pay
for shipping.

These are beta versions yes, but at least you still get a taste.

 

[Guest]

As Sparky said, the beta's are out there for download.
Otherwise there will be the Express versions (I think they will sell for
around $49) or there will be the "full" versions of the dev software. These
are all independant of the MSDN subscription, which I'm pretty certain will
contain all the usual goodies, just maybe not the "enterprise" level ones
without a larger package purchase.

 

[Scott Allen]

The pricing for the MSDN subscriptions can be found here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/howtobuy/vs2005/subscriptions/Default.aspx

 

[clintonG]

You should do more reading about your options before pissing and moaning.
The partner programs have been revised and there are opportunitities to
obtain MSDN Universal as low as $375. I kid you not. Evaluate the Empower
ISV program and look for other opportunities at the partner site.

I mean what business has any business making it easy for someone else to do
business when that someone else has nothing to offer in return? Simple. Its
not always about cash and if you are a clever programmer you need to learn
to be a bit more clever about how you get your tools. So become involved in
the partner program. Meet your obligations and you get what you want.

Simple as that.

<%= Clinton Gallagher
METROmilwaukee (sm) "A Regional Information Service"
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://metromilwaukee.com/
URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/