WTF? Server 2008 R2 on Technet question

[blackroseMD1]

So I just got this email from MS, and this is what really stood out to me:

We are virtually on the eve of releasing Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 and our main concern at this point is your readiness and awareness of all the new goodness that accompanies those products. Windows Server 2008 R2 evaluation bits are set for availability on Friday, August 14, a week earlier than previously reported. On Friday, check out the Windows Server TechCenter on TechNet for info on how and where to download the 180-day evaluation bits.

So, am I to take this to mean that any Server 2008 R2 build that I download from Technet is timebombed? I'm pretty sure it says right there on the subscription page that one of the benefits to Technet is that all software is not timebombed. Am I reading this wrong, or what?

 

[Zidane24]

Looks like we have a breach of contract here? It would seem that it is indeed going to be timebombed...I would call Microsoft and ask them

 

[DataMan47]

No, not timebombed. There are (and have been for some time) two separate Server 2008 downloads: one from TechNet (or MSDN) subscriptions that are not timebombed, and one from regular TechNet (no sub needed) that are 180-day evals. It stands to reason that this arrangement for 2008 will apply for 2008 R2 as well, and this e-mail is almost certianly about the latter, not the former.

 

[Zidane24]

No, not timebombed. There are (and have been for some time) two separate Server 2008 downloads: one from TechNet (or MSDN) subscriptions that are not timebombed, and one from regular TechNet (no sub needed) that are 180-day evals. It stands to reason that this arrangement for 2008 will apply for 2008 R2 as well, and this e-mail is almost certianly about the latter, not the former.

okay that makes sense...except that blackrose is a paid member of technet/MSDN and why he would get an email from an unpaid membership is silly...unless blackrose has multiple accounts

 

[blackroseMD1]

No, not timebombed. There are (and have been for some time) two separate Server 2008 downloads: one from TechNet (or MSDN) subscriptions that are not timebombed, and one from regular TechNet (no sub needed) that are 180-day evals. It stands to reason that this arrangement for 2008 will apply for 2008 R2 as well, and this e-mail is almost certianly about the latter, not the former.

Yeah, that makes perfect sense. Guess I'll find out tomorrow. Thanks for the info.

 

[DataMan47]

okay that makes sense...except that blackrose is a paid member of technet/MSDN and why he would get an email from an unpaid membership is silly...unless blackrose has multiple accounts

Microsoft isn't very good about coordinating their communications (I got three separate e-mails, all to the same address, from MSFT in July announcing RTM, from Connect, MSDN, and TechNet), and it's not uncommon for a subscriber to get e-mails that pertain to non-subscribers, esp. if that subscriber has ever used a non-subscriber portion of TechNet.

 

[kodi]

I am a paid Technet Subscriber and received the same Email,it confused me as well but as I am not interested in Server 2008 I just deleted it.