Hello,

Please could someone tell me what is the difference between a Technet 
subscription and a MSDN subscription ?

If I have the latter (by having bought Microsoft Visual Studio with MSDN), 
am I also eligible to the former ?
Is there one of them that includes the other one ?

Gingko

Hi,

The Technet one is for Systems Administration, whereas the MSDN one is 
for developers. The Technet one is much more pro-active with recent 
BETAs etc. The MSDN one contains a lot of stuff that's available free 
anyway, and isn't updated very often.

Gingko wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> Please could someone tell me what is the difference between a Technet 
> subscription and a MSDN subscription ?
> 
> If I have the latter (by having bought Microsoft Visual Studio with MSDN), 
> am I also eligible to the former ?
> Is there one of them that includes the other one ?
> 
> Gingko
> 
> 


-- 
Gerry Hickman (London UK)

Gerry's response may be misleading.  It is correct in differentiating 
betweem them, however TechNet has one basic subscription (two formats 
TechNet Plus or TechNet Direct), MSDN has several subscription levels 
depending on your area of developer's interest.

Basically the same "Items" are available in both subscriptions, however 
there are downloads availale from MSDN that are not available from TechNet - 
as an example you mentioned Visual Studio - available ia MSDN but not 
TechNet.  Also there are  times downloads appear on MSDN (Connect)  first.

I know of no programs/applications that are free - various utilites and 
security (such as Windows Defender) items - Yes.

Regarding "...by having bought Microsoft Visual Studio with MSDN), am I also 
eligible to the former ?
Is there one of them that includes the other one ?...."

No and No






"Gingko" <Gingko@nospam.nospam> wrote in message 
news:ebAm4gntIHA.3564@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Hello,
>
> Please could someone tell me what is the difference between a Technet 
> subscription and a MSDN subscription ?
>
> If I have the latter (by having bought Microsoft Visual Studio with MSDN), 
> am I also eligible to the former ?
> Is there one of them that includes the other one ?
>
> Gingko
>
>

Thank you very much for your answers, I understand better now.

Knowing that, do you think it would make sense, at the end of my MSDN 
subscription, to subscribe to a Technet membership instead of a MSDN one, 
and later to alternate between MSDN and Technet subscriptions in order to 
cover a larger product access (at the expense of having some of them updated 
at a larger time interval), and getting more optimal pricing ?

Or would this have inacceptable drawbacks ?

Gingko

Gingko - Unfortunately I am not very familiar with MSDN subscriptions.  I 
have been a TechNet Plus subscriber for 4-5 years - initial decision was 
based on 1. Cost and 2. Applicability. I am retired and "keep" in touch by 
consulting (Church/Resturants).

As mentioned previously, TechNet is IT oriented whcih was (is) my direction 
and was great in assisting towards several certifications (MCP, MCDST, MCSA, 
CompTIA A+ and Network).

Most likely the info above does not directly apply to your questions - 
exactly what goals, or targets, do you have in mind and how do they apply to 
your current situation?

"Gingko" <Gingko@nospam.nospam> wrote in message 
news:ebAm4gntIHA.3564@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Hello,
>
> Please could someone tell me what is the difference between a Technet 
> subscription and a MSDN subscription ?
>
> If I have the latter (by having bought Microsoft Visual Studio with MSDN), 
> am I also eligible to the former ?
> Is there one of them that includes the other one ?
>
> Gingko
>
>

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "AJR" 
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.technet
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 8:38 PM
Subject: Re: Difference between Technet and MSDN


> Gingko - Unfortunately I am not very familiar with MSDN subscriptions.  I 
> have been a TechNet Plus subscriber for 4-5 years - initial decision was 
> based on 1. Cost and 2. Applicability. I am retired and "keep" in touch by 
> consulting (Church/Resturants).
>
> As mentioned previously, TechNet is IT oriented whcih was (is) my 
> direction and was great in assisting towards several certifications (MCP, 
> MCDST, MCSA, CompTIA A+ and Network).
>
> Most likely the info above does not directly apply to your questions - 
> exactly what goals, or targets, do you have in mind and how do they apply 
> to your current situation?

Hello,

Application development is part of my job (I also make electronic designs).
I also make some developments at home, as a hobby.

I got a MSDN subscription mostly because I need Visual Studio, and Operating 
Systems (for testing).

Visual Studio is only part of MSDN, but there is not a new Visual Studio 
version every year, and subscriptions have to be renewed once a year.
That's why I was thinking that, is OS are also distributed with Technet, I 
could sometimes use only a Technet subscription, and nevertheless being able 
to update Visual Studio at a reasonable interval by taking a MSDN 
subscriptions only one year out of 2 or 3.

Gingko

It appears that MSDN would be more suitable - based on your work 
description.  However once you have installed Visual Studio it is not 
necessasry to maintain a subscription soley for updates - since those are 
available to anyone with a current install.

If a new version of the program becomes available then purchase or MSDN 
subscription would be the options.

There are other reaons why I have TechNet Plus - I prefer receiving 
Technical Library (Complete Knowledge Database and applicastion/program 
info) and Technical Training DVD's - even though they are available as 
downloads -  in adddition to separate DVD's containing all security updates, 
all service packs and a DVD titled "Downloads" which contains various 
utilities not available from the TechNet site.

I am not up on current subscription prices. I did receive an E-mail 
regarding renewing my subscription for something like $290 (TechNet 
Direct) - which, in my opinion, is great, since you can download all 
versions of Microsoft applications (except for items like Visual Studio).


"Gingko" <Gingko@nospam.nospam> wrote in message 
news:3BC51FA7-8004-490B-853A-C6FA10312D08@microsoft.com...
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "AJR" 
> Newsgroups: microsoft.public.technet
> Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 8:38 PM
> Subject: Re: Difference between Technet and MSDN
>
>
>> Gingko - Unfortunately I am not very familiar with MSDN subscriptions.  I 
>> have been a TechNet Plus subscriber for 4-5 years - initial decision was 
>> based on 1. Cost and 2. Applicability. I am retired and "keep" in touch 
>> by consulting (Church/Resturants).
>>
>> As mentioned previously, TechNet is IT oriented whcih was (is) my 
>> direction and was great in assisting towards several certifications (MCP, 
>> MCDST, MCSA, CompTIA A+ and Network).
>>
>> Most likely the info above does not directly apply to your questions - 
>> exactly what goals, or targets, do you have in mind and how do they apply 
>> to your current situation?
>
> Hello,
>
> Application development is part of my job (I also make electronic 
> designs).
> I also make some developments at home, as a hobby.
>
> I got a MSDN subscription mostly because I need Visual Studio, and 
> Operating Systems (for testing).
>
> Visual Studio is only part of MSDN, but there is not a new Visual Studio 
> version every year, and subscriptions have to be renewed once a year.
> That's why I was thinking that, is OS are also distributed with Technet, I 
> could sometimes use only a Technet subscription, and nevertheless being 
> able to update Visual Studio at a reasonable interval by taking a MSDN 
> subscriptions only one year out of 2 or 3.
>
> Gingko
>

"Gingko" <Gingko@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:3BC51FA7-8004-490B-853A-C6FA10312D08@microsoft.com...

> Application development is part of my job (I also make electronic designs).
> I also make some developments at home, as a hobby.
>
> I got a MSDN subscription mostly because I need Visual Studio, and Operating
> Systems (for testing).
>
> Visual Studio is only part of MSDN, but there is not a new Visual Studio
> version every year, and subscriptions have to be renewed once a year.

> That's why I was thinking that, is OS are also distributed with Technet, I
> could sometimes use only a Technet subscription, and nevertheless being able
> to update Visual Studio at a reasonable interval by taking a MSDN
> subscriptions only one year out of 2 or 3.


Technically I think that different licences are involved.
E.g.  MSDN gives you a licence to use those tools for development use only.
TechNet gives you licence to use them for trial use only.

FWIW  I am usually disappointed by the quality of the MSDN subscription
in comparison to the monthly updates that TechNet has.   Before I got DSL
and while Microsoft's online searches were so bad I often thought that all I
really needed was a CD for the PSDK which would be orderable and much cheaper.
Now because of a faster link, greatly improved online searching and Okapi wrecking
offline searching there isn't even a need for that.

OTOH improved online access and searching and Okapi have also reduced
TechNet's real value for me--a more searchable KB (albeit always out-of-date.)

I guess I'm ambivalent about both products now.   ; )


---

Hi,

> Gerry's response may be misleading.

> Basically the same "Items" are available in both subscriptions, however 
> there are downloads availale from MSDN that are not available from TechNet - 
> as an example you mentioned Visual Studio - available ia MSDN but not 
> TechNet.  Also there are  times downloads appear on MSDN (Connect)  first.

MSDN includes Visual Studio, but many people either have VS Express or 
they have a Volume or Academic agreement and get VS pro anyway, or could 
maybe buy it separate for less than MSDN? You do NOT get "Connect" 
downloads from MSDN (interested if you claim otherwise).

-- 
Gerry Hickman (London UK)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Aldwinckle" 
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.technet
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2008 6:51 PM
Subject: Re: Difference between Technet and MSDN


> "Gingko" <Gingko@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
> news:3BC51FA7-8004-490B-853A-C6FA10312D08@microsoft.com...
>
> Technically I think that different licences are involved.
> E.g.  MSDN gives you a licence to use those tools for development use 
> only.
> TechNet gives you licence to use them for trial use only.



Does this practically make a real difference ?

Gingko