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Empower ISV's short term license
We looked into registering for the program a while ago, and one thing troubled us: We asked and they told us that after our 12 months were up, all the licenses we acquired through the program (MSDNs, servers, Windows, and Office) would be void, and we'd have to purchase new ones.
We decided not to join, since we didn't want to get hooked on the stuff and shell out $13000 next year for Universal subscriptions.
Can anyone verify this info, or is our MS sales guy nuts?
Walt
Monday, October 20, 2003
I think he's correct. However if you can get a product through certification at veritest, then you can move up to be a certified partner. The tests costs either $800 or $3000 depending on which one you go for.
Basically if you can develop any application then go for it. The tests themselves are VERY simple to pass, just a bit time consuming. Stuff like running properly in a limited user account and using My Documents you should be doing anyway.
My guess is that it cost us around 2 man months to get this right, one to correct the flaws (e.g. coping properly with resizing the title bars, using MyDocuments), one to get our app in a suitable state for self install (mainly making the server portion self installing, previously we'd done it by hand)
After that it's $1500 a year regardless if you're a normal partner (5 MSDN+10 OS/Office licenses+Server) or Gold (10 MSDN+100 OS/Office licenses+Server)
WARNING: The OS licenses are upgrade licenses.
Basically if you have more than 2 developers it's well worthwhile (After 2 years it pays for itself).
Remember your app doesn't have to be a world beater, almost anything would do. A simple checkbook program or recipe cataloger would suffice.
Peter Ibbotson
Monday, October 20, 2003
I'm confused:
If I bought a Unviversal Subscription this year and then didn't renew, would I have to give all that software back?
In Empower ISV, I'd need to give all that software back at the end of the year?
(I'm still using the same VB 3 IDE I bought 8 years ago! so we don't upgrade a lot here :-)
(I Write in vb 6 as well, but we have a lot of legacy programs that I maintain).
Entrepreneur
Monday, October 20, 2003
No. If you paid full price (retail or upgrade), you can keep it.
This special deal in particular prevents you from keeping going.
I assume they don't want this rush to become ISV's and then have them drop off. The program is designed to bring them into being partners with an annual rate.
I can't say I blame them either.
Walt
Monday, October 20, 2003
So this is the free sample of crack cocaine from our friendly neighborhood dealer ? <g>.
They have every right to offer this, and I, too, don't blame them.
However, I wouldn't want to do that. At the end of the year, I'd need to spend a lot of time figuring out what, exactly, we want to continue using or subscribe to the Universal plan.
Consider this: what if we create some important element of a project in some MS program and then FORGET to buy that subscription. Then we'd be hosed.
Again, I don't begrudge them the right to do it, but I can see a lot of pitfalls.
Entrepreneur
Monday, October 20, 2003
I think its designed to "forklift" people into position in one of the other "partner" programs. Looked at that way, assuming that you think you'd want to do that, then its a good deal for both parties.
If you don't intend to go for that, buy the software, get hooked, but have to go cold turkey in the end, then its a bad deal for both parties.
Robert Moir
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
You can get information on MSDN Subscriptions at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/faq/
"When a subscription expires, do the licenses terminate or are they still valid?
MSDN Subscriptions has a perpetual license, so subscribers can still use the products received with their MSDN Subscription after their subscription has expired."
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Paul Gomes [MSFT]
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
I just wanted to point out that while Paul is correct about the normal MSDN subscription not expiring, the ISV licenses expire, MSDN with it. I double checked with MS.
Walt
Thursday, October 23, 2003
Just released too soon, and the licenses expired after 8 months.... so wait....!
john
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
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