CrAsHnBuRnXpWhy?

That's why:

www.engadget.com/2009/08/01/snow-leopard-pre-orders-now-being-taken-at-amazon/

and don't get me wrong- I'm using W7 #7201. Just Microsoft is not getting my hard earned dollars any more.

suraswaminah, my home farm is growing and want to cut down costs.

Other thing is I am more interested in W2K8 sever and SQL Server for learning purposes.

Actually I was looking to buy W2K8 SBS but I think technet is the way to go. I don't want the time limited OS install.

yeah, i use 2k8 server as my primary os, couldnt go back to xp/xp x64/2k3 or vista after the joy 2k8 is to work with, far less tweaking to get optimal performance out of it, rock solid stable, its just a joy to use!!!

extrasaltyThat's why:

www.engadget.com/2009/08/01/snow-leopard-pre-orders-now-being-taken-at-amazon/

and don't get me wrong- I'm using W7 #7201. Just Microsoft is not getting my hard earned dollars any more.

apple wouldnt be getting my money either tho, I tend to get windows free either form an ms rep(most commonly) or from other means, I refuse to buy windows anymore, specly when they charge so much for a full copy, sorry but upgrade copies are CRAP!!!

technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/subscriptions/downloads/cc150618.aspx
"Many MSDN subscribers use a computer for mixed use—both design, development, testing, and demonstration of your programs (the use allowed under the MSDN Subscription license) and some other use. Using the software in any other way, such as for doing email, playing games, or editing a document is another use and is not covered by the MSDN Subscription license. When this happens, the underlying operating system must also be licensed normally by purchasing a regular copy of Windows such as the one that came with a new OEM PC."

So Technet strictly can only be used for evaluation and testing? If you actually use the station for anything, write letter, check mail, msn, etc then you officially need a retail or oem licence for that station?

techfantechnet.microsoft.com/en-gb/subscriptions/downloads/cc150618.aspx
"Many MSDN subscribers use a computer for mixed use—both design, development, testing, and demonstration of your programs (the use allowed under the MSDN Subscription license) and some other use. Using the software in any other way, such as for doing email, playing games, or editing a document is another use and is not covered by the MSDN Subscription license. When this happens, the underlying operating system must also be licensed normally by purchasing a regular copy of Windows such as the one that came with a new OEM PC."

So Technet strictly can only be used for evaluation and testing? If you actually use the station for anything, write letter, check mail, msn, etc then you officially need a retail or oem licence for that station?

Using it for email, documents, playing games, etc. falls under testing, imo. :D

Well, I want Technet because I can get more products and thus value, but I wonder about its use. As techfan points out it is entirely for IT folk who are doing hardware testing and isn't to be used as a retail / OEM replacement. Will this come back to bite me? Also, it is a significant jump in price so I guess I'd just download what I need in the year and not buy it again for awhile.

I'd get this family pack but I wonder if its full version or upgrade version as it doesn't really say. I also wonder what other catch there is, because they don't just offer 3 products for less than the cost of one full version release without major catches. Are they activate once (only once)? Are they set to, as usual, self destruct in 5 seconds?

first, MS isnt going to go after anybody for using a technet download/program/wtfe to do day today tasks, that can be considered testing infact, since you could find a problem when writing an email(or sending it) or find a problem when using office, or a million other things.

Honestly MS really doesn't give a shit, they just don't want people buying technet and selling the keys, Most people out there(where ms makes its real money) couldn't deal with technet and wouldn't know what to do with it if they had it.

They just put that in there so that people or companies wont go buy technet to outfit an office or the like costing them either retail or OEM sales.

MSDN is very similar in this, but you can use the products for "production environments" IF you have the proper subscription that is....either way the keys dont get De-activated if ur subscription ends so sall good :)

Technet is great for some, but a waste for others. If you only have one computer, and are only going to use Windows Home Premium, technet isn't worth it. And really, most people don't even need office, someone like Crash could probably get away with using Openoffice and skip paying for even the basic version of Office.

However, if you are going to be buying Windows Ultimate, you might as well just buy a technet subscription, they are pretty close to the same price. Or if you are someone like me who has multiple computers and needs an OS for each one, again technet pays for itself after a while...