New Technet standard half the price of pro

Great info, I just got my e-mail notification to re-new, two months left.

Have just been searching for info on the Standard version, should have known to check here first.

Thanks Kodi, didn't see Office 2010 on the list, have it already but was thinking about availability of the next new products.

Looks like the Standard version will be good for a lot of people.

This past year has been a great year to have a Technet subscription with the release of Windows 7 and Office 2010, but is MS expected to be releasing anything of similar earth shattering caliber in the next 12 months? If not, I'm thinking I will just let my Technet subscription (which expires in a few days) lapse until there is something worthwhile about to be released.

Yeah, the Technet program in the past few years has baffled me as well. I'm really unsure why retail licenses of the software cost as much as they do, considering how little Technet costs with as much as they provide to you. I mean if it's $200 to buy 1 retail copy of Windows 7, and it's $200 to buy 1 retail copy of MS Office 2010 Home and Business.....then why would they give you 10 licenses for each flavor of Vista, 10 licenses for each flavor of Windows 7, 10 copies for each flavor of XP, multiple activation keys for Server 2003 and Server 2008 and also Microsoft Office for less than $200. I honestly don't understand why Technet is not $1,000 or even $2,000. If you were a serious IT Professional...you would still see the value in that...not to mention quite often it would be a "business expense" which would get reimbursed. But I believe that MS prices this as cheaply as they do to sell it to as many people as they can..."not just IT professionals". Because honestly, some of the people who would have pirated their copies of the OS....saw little incentive to do so when they saw how much they could get for their $199.

I called MS on this topic and discussed with them the difference between testing at home and just using it as a workstation. They specifically said that with your home computer, you are most likely downloading new software and trying things out, checking out games to see how they work and the like and that using Technet software for an undetermined/unlimited amount of time on machines at home would not violate the EULA in any way. The Technet rep said that as long as I don't use the software to run or support a business and I didn't share it with others, I was within my rights to use this on however many computers I wanted to in my personal home for an unlimited amount of time.

Now, it does say that it's "for IT professionals", but I'm unaware of any type of screening process to ascertain the validity of that stipulation. In fact, I think as long as you have a credit card and punch in the numbers.....they will gladly take your money.

So...yeah....anytime anybody discusses purchasing Windows 7 or MS Office 2010 with me...I highly suggest that they check out Technet instead. It's an incredible value. They always ask...."but what's the catch....this doesn't make sense". My response, "your right, I don't understand it either.....but it's true and it works......you have nothing to lose but $200 and a ton of stuff to gain".

DeaconFrost said:

I will tell you my personal opinions of the matter. First, don't get TechNet if you plan to give out the keys to random family members and friends. Second, don't ever...EVER sell those keys on Ebay, forums, Craiglist, etc. Third, if you work in corporate IT, don't roll out systems with any of these keys. Should you be audited, these won't count as legit business licenses.

I absolutely agree 100%. And with as cheap as what these subscriptions are...just make your friends and family buy their own subscriptions.

It should be sufficient that you are getting so much for so little. Don't try to further take advantage by giving away your keys or trying to pay for your subscription by selling your keys.