Comments on: Microsoft DreamSpark http://juixe.com/techknow/index.php/2008/07/09/microsoft-dreamspark/ Break Coders Block! Thu, 10 May 2012 17:02:53 +0000 hourly 1 By: Rahul http://juixe.com/techknow/index.php/2008/07/09/microsoft-dreamspark/comment-page-1/#comment-618 Rahul Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:16:43 +0000 http://www.juixe.com/techknow/index.php/2008/07/09/microsoft-dreamspark/#comment-618 Well... whatever we say... the base line remains that MS is on no charity spree... it's investing in its further customers! Well… whatever we say… the base line remains that MS is on no charity spree… it’s investing in its further customers!

]]> By: Javier http://juixe.com/techknow/index.php/2008/07/09/microsoft-dreamspark/comment-page-1/#comment-616 Javier Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:18:13 +0000 http://www.juixe.com/techknow/index.php/2008/07/09/microsoft-dreamspark/#comment-616 Even I enjoyed free Microsoft development tools while I studied CS here in Switzerland (they started this kind of program about 3 years ago in Switzerland), but let's be honest here: Marketing is the name of the game. It's not about being nice, it's about getting people to use your tools and your technology. Microsoft ist doing this *because* Eclipse is used a lot at universities (at least in Switzerland) and they know universities are the places to get people hooked on certain technology. Even I enjoyed free Microsoft development tools while I studied CS here in Switzerland (they started this kind of program about 3 years ago in Switzerland), but let’s be honest here: Marketing is the name of the game. It’s not about being nice, it’s about getting people to use your tools and your technology. Microsoft ist doing this *because* Eclipse is used a lot at universities (at least in Switzerland) and they know universities are the places to get people hooked on certain technology.

]]> By: Big Al http://juixe.com/techknow/index.php/2008/07/09/microsoft-dreamspark/comment-page-1/#comment-617 Big Al Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:19:22 +0000 http://www.juixe.com/techknow/index.php/2008/07/09/microsoft-dreamspark/#comment-617 This is not so hard to understand, and corporations very rarely do things that they don't think will benefit them at some point. Microsoft's benefit from this is that they will get a number of students using (and used to) their products, students which may eventually be in a position to influence purchasing decisions. Microsoft's big problem at the moment is that there are very good development tools (e.g., Eclipse) which students can get for zero cost. Disclaimer: I haven't used MS software for a great many years but I don't consider myself a Linux bigot. I just don't see the point in paying bucketloads of money for software when I can get what I need free (and legal). This is not so hard to understand, and corporations very rarely do things that they don’t think will benefit them at some point.

Microsoft’s benefit from this is that they will get a number of students using (and used to) their products, students which may eventually be in a position to influence purchasing decisions.

Microsoft’s big problem at the moment is that there are very good development tools (e.g., Eclipse) which students can get for zero cost.

Disclaimer: I haven’t used MS software for a great many years but I don’t consider myself a Linux bigot. I just don’t see the point in paying bucketloads of money for software when I can get what I need free (and legal).

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