Microsoft to shut down TechNet subscription service

Good night, TechNet.

In a letter to subscribers today, Microsoft announced that it plans to retire its venerable TechNet subscriptions service. New subscriptions will no longer be available after August 31, 2013, and the subscription service will shut down as current subscribers' contracts end.

Read more at: Microsoft to shut down TechNet subscription service | ZDNet[/B]



Microsoft email to subscribers:

Microsoft is retiring the TechNet Subscription service.​

As IT trends and business dynamics have evolved, so has Microsoft’s set of offerings for IT professionals who are looking to learn, evaluate and deploy Microsoft technologies and services. In recent years, we have seen a usage shift from paid to free evaluation experiences and resources. As a result, Microsoft has decided to retire the TechNet Subscriptions service and will discontinue sales on August 31, 2013. Additional Information: More background on Microsoft’s decision to retire the TechNet Subscription service and the implications for current subscribers is available on the TechNet Subscriptions Retirement FAQ page.

Subscribers with active accounts may continue to access program benefits until their current subscription period concludes. We are committed to helping customers through this transition phase and will remain focused on providing IT professionals with free access to a broad set of TechNet assets that support the needs of IT professionals around the world. Improved Free Offerings for IT Professionals Include: TechNet Evaluation Center: Free evaluation software with no feature limits, available for 30-180 days. Includes rich evaluation resources and TechNet Virtual Labs, which enable you to evaluate software without the need to install bits locally. Microsoft Virtual Academy: Free online learning site, with over 200 expert-led technical training courses across more than 15 Microsoft technologies with more added weekly. TechNet Forums: Free online forums where IT professionals can ask technical questions and receive rapid responses from members of the community. Please note, MSDN Subscriptions provide a paid set of offerings that are also available for those who require access to evaluation software beyond what the above free offerings provide. Thank you for your understanding as we increase focus on growing and investing in our free offerings to better meet the needs of the IT professional community. Do not reply to this e-mail. This message was sent to you using an automated system. This e-mail alias is not monitored for replies. - TechNet Subscription Team Microsoft respects your privacy. Review our online Privacy Statement. Microsoft Corporation One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA, USA 98052

 

[Explorertml]

And now adds in Window 8.1 search M$ seems to be breaking a lot of eggs these days.

Hi Labee,

I give Microsoft the latest 5 to 10 years if they don't smarten up and hire engineers that know what the user wants and believes heart and soul in desktops and laptops are still needed in todays markets more then ever and stop the MS left field thinking that tablets are they way to go! God Help MS then if they carry on the tablet road.

I want to confirm windows 8 pro is and has been a screw up and the windows 8 pro so called blue or windows 8.1 is just a SP nothing more and nothing less same core code same registry not too much will change just some eye candy and like your said search big deal, and you can kiss the start botton as you did know it from past or older OS's from MS example my 3 fav OS to date at least for me #1 Windows 7 Enterprise #2 Windows NT ( amazing OS ) and windows XP pro ( simple fast and right to the point OS and easy to maintain on giant networks )

If MS don't turn it around and start to make simple and right to the point OS's systems oh well Apple and their Mac's and Mac OS will leave MS in the dust and lots of talk the Google will be bringing out later this year some very nice OS systems into the market in partnership with Java and Adobe this will be very Interesting

Apple Mac division is all ready 10 years ahead for personal computing OS, what I been told by 2015 Apple Mac devision will be looking into enterprise and large Organization OS systems wake up Microsoft before all you guys end up like BlackBerry one day in the future , one day here and one day gone forever

 

[Phone Man]

I'm not a TechNet subscriber (but am interested in picking it up if it's worth it) so I don't know the details...

I couldn't find anything that suggested that your used keys expired once the subscription ends. Only that keys are not available anymore after the subscription expires.

Product Keys and Activation -- TechNet Subscriptions

Only subscribers with active subscriptions can download products and claim product keys, so you will not be able to download products after your subscription has expired. In some cases, you will be able to view product keys you had claimed while your subscription was active, but you will not be able to claim new keys. In order to access your prior claimed keys, you will have to sign in using the Microsoft account used with your subscription.

Its in the current agreement.

TechNet Subscriptions Software License Terms

Last line of item 7

Microsoft may deactivate or otherwise limit your keys when your subscription ends. Deactivated keys will not be able to activate software.

From item 8

If your subscription ends for any reason:
you must stop using the software and any benefits associated with the subscription, and
you must destroy all copies of the software in your possession.

This new agreement was activated last summer for those renewing or new subscribers.
The previous agreement had different language which may have allowed you to continue using the keys but no guarantees.

Jim

 

[Explorertml]

I'm not a TechNet subscriber (but am interested in picking it up if it's worth it) so I don't know the details...

I couldn't find anything that suggested that your used keys expired once the subscription ends. Only that keys are not available anymore after the subscription expires.

Product Keys and Activation -- TechNet Subscriptions

Only subscribers with active subscriptions can download products and claim product keys, so you will not be able to download products after your subscription has expired. In some cases, you will be able to view product keys you had claimed while your subscription was active, but you will not be able to claim new keys. In order to access your prior claimed keys, you will have to sign in using the Microsoft account used with your subscription.

Its in the current agreement.

TechNet Subscriptions Software License Terms

Last line of item 7

Microsoft may deactivate or otherwise limit your keys when your subscription ends. Deactivated keys will not be able to activate software.

From item 8

If your subscription ends for any reason:
you must stop using the software and any benefits associated with the subscription, and
you must destroy all copies of the software in your possession.

This new agreement was activated last summer for those renewing or new subscribers.
The previous agreement had different language which may have allowed you to continue using the keys but no guarantees.

Jim

Thanks Jim,

Very good job man, very good info thanks again for the update so it looks like there is two types of agreements older where keys might 50/50 not get effected and the most current agreement for sure the keys will be kicked off into the blacklisted database at Microsofts license and activation department.

Thanks again Jim

 

[dirtyvu]

yes, the wording gives cause for concern. but it doesn't say that currently installed software will be disabled. it says "deactivated keys will not be able to activate software". they may deactivate keys when the subscription ends. but if you've already used to key to activate it, once it's activated, it's activated.

people like Ed Bott says that people are misinterpreting the agreement:

To fight piracy, Microsoft tightens MSDN and TechNet terms again | ZDNet

The new, simplified subscription agreement makes it clear:

The subscription provides you with access to software and associated benefits. When your subscription concludes, you will no longer have access to the software or any associated benefits and must discontinue your use of the software.

That doesn’t mean that the software itself will stop working, of course. Instead, the license expires along with the subscription, and you’re expected to stop using the evaluation copies.

 

[pparks1]

I would be surprised myself if Microsoft did in fact revoke the keys. However, they certainly have room for it in the EULA.

Technet was always a very abused program. But how could you blame people, when you could get all that software for just $200. It was cheaper than the cost of 1 Windows license, let alone office. Now sure, you aren't supposed to use Technet keys for things other than testing or eval...but then again you aren't supposed to pirate software either.

Once MS removes this Technet subscription service, all I see are downloads of pirated copies increasing. At least with Technet Microsoft got some money and people got clean easy access to software. Without technet, people aren't all of a sudden going to feel like paying for what they are using.

 

[Explorertml]

Hi Dirty,

Let's wait and see where all this ends up at the end of the day, clearly MS thinks they are losing new generated capital funding with their Technet service and that's one big factor why Mr Ballmer and the current MS Board is kicking the door closed for their Technet devision and perhaps later in the very near future MSDN too all depending again if MSDN is generating new capital cash flow for the entire MS Corporation and if not MSDN will have the same fate like Technet in the very near future.

Regards all ready activated MS software currently being used from Technet I am 99.9% sure MS will pull or blacklist all serials or current used keys out of service or activations just repeating my phone call to Technet this morning with a manager of Technet and he assured me after the August 2014 dead line not only all the keys and software will be removed off the Technet servers also used or all keys or serials will be blacklisted and current activated software will have their current activated keys zapped dead and unactivated and the user will need to reformat and reinstall their retail OS or any other MS products and buy their own keys under this circumstance.

 

[Explorertml]

Hi PParks,

Let's wait and see a year from now isn't really a long time away

 

[Lee]

. . .always remember nothing is forever regardless of the company or product a company offers.

 

[PhyllisColeman]

as they are going to return with it again in late august then it may be guessed that there is some up-gradation work is going to be placed into it for a betterment ..

 

[jimbo45]

What is meant by "dropped within your TechNet Serials" and why 'most'....not 'all'? If that's word for word what they said, then I suspect that person was hedging their bets. I feel we are going to be hearing a lot more about this in the days and weeks ahead. It's getting very bad press internationally.

I agree Ex,

I have been a member for over 15 years with TechNet and also MSDN Services, and also I have some Stocks with Microsoft and its not looking too well within the last 12 to 6 month period...

It looks to me that Microsoft is slowly losing their drive and power within the IT market, as it has been talked about for a few years now and time will tell... where Microsoft will be heading from this point forward in the future...

Ex, keep your eyes open and read the reports on Google Corp, Google will be bringing out some new PC Operating systems by the end of this year and from here onward in 2014

Hi there
I agree with MOST of the post -- apart from the bit of Ms Stock which really is fine --it's at the top ends of its 52 week range (unlike AAPL) and that's in these turbulent market times.

I don't think the keys will be blacklisted when TechNet finally disappears -- why should they -- doesn't actually make sense -- most of the stuff people download from TECHNET are things like OFFICE 2010 / 2007 / 2013 which is being moved over to cloud / subscription services (Office 365) or older Windows OS'es such as Windows 7 and Windows XP.

What I tend to use TECHNET for are to test and LEARN SERVERS (like W2k3, W2008 server and now W2012 R2 server) -- these products are far too expensive for typical individual Home users who want to learn this stuff and haven't the time or corporate sponsor to go on MS training courses.


However downloading FREE 180 day trials will be fine by me -- but knowing Ms I can see the period of free evaluation downloads being shortened to say 30 days -- this is often just TOO short if you can't devote a lot of time to testing / learning - especially when its in your own time after work / weekends etc.

I do believe though that the actual usefulness of TechNet isn't that great any more -- I'll be able to get the latest W8 version via my subscription (Enterprise version) - and really I can't see the growth of "Classical OS'es " expanding much more in any case so Ms is probably right in shutting the service.

I do suspect that Piracy played a much larger role than Ms will admit to -- that was probably because they were hugely overgenerous with giving people 10 keys at the start (trhese keys were also multiple activatable) so you could essentially have 1000 activations for Windows XP for instance.

I shall garner my last crop of what I need and then I don't really think I'll miss it too much in the future - although it was GREAT in the past - I learned all sorts of things using TECHNET software that I couldn't have hoped to get on my own.

The whole era of Windows is changing in any case -- It will be interesting to see how Android for desktop devices comes along (can already be run as a VM even now) and there's a lot of sense mow in going back to LINUX while just using the Windows stuff you need (Office for example) on a small dedicated Windows Virtual Machine. With this installed on an SSD performance of the VM is almost at Native speed and you can "CLONE" the VM as many times as you like so quite useful for testing - without running into the Keys problem.

I'm typing this from a W7 VM running under Linux and it's working fine.

So R.I.P TechNet -- great while it was there but time to move on now.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[new]

What about subscribers in the past that didn't renew their TechNet subscriptions, did their keys get de-activated?

 

[Ex_Brit]

Originally no they didn't but Microsoft changed their policy a while back and now the EULA states that you must stop using any software downloaded from them when your membership expires.

 

[Ex_Brit]

See Post #62