Comments on: Students can has free Microsoft dev software.O rly? Ya rly.

By: David Sterry

David Sterry — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 04:56:56 +0000

I’m sort of surprised nobody mentions that Microsoft’s motive here is to get you to spend your valuable time learning their technologies. It’s an odd thing to fall for when there is so much free software like GNU/Linux, Apache, Python, Perl, Php, and Mysql that can enable you to make some seriously cool things.

Even though the software Microsoft is offering is free of cost, they do not let you modify the tools or study how they really work. Finally, it should be in all students interest to remove specific vendor and product names from their curriculum. You want to learn to think, to program, and to build things. Microsoft’s technologies are just one slice of the world of technology you will help build.

By: Warren

Warren — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:44:03 +0000

yes, sorry, I agree.. I read the release a bit fast… But you’re right. A step in the right direction

By: Peter Kirn

Peter Kirn — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:34:15 +0000

Interesting … not totally clear exactly how it’ll work, though:

“An Xbox 360 community game created using Microsoft’s XNA Game Studio software and XNA Creators Club membership will be able to be submitted for distribution on Xbox LIVE. Each community-created game must then undergo a thorough peer-review process and be evaluated for accuracy in representation and appropriateness. Community game developers will be able to beta test the process this spring and will be able to distribute their games on Xbox LIVE by the end of this year.”

But a step in the right direction.

By: Peter Kirn

Peter Kirn — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:33:19 +0000

Erm, *sort of* fulfilled. They’re releasing seven games. So they *invite* you to create and share original games. Then they pick out a small handful.

It’s really too bad, because there’s great stuff happening on the PC that wants to be on a console — any console. So if Microsoft can open Windows, why not Xbox? I can see them doing it before Nintendo or Sony.

By: Warren

Warren — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:27:49 +0000

@Peter

Looks like your wish was fulfilled!

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/feb08/02-20CommunityCrea tedPR.mspx?rss_fdn=Press%20Releases

Xbox 360 Becomes First Video Game Console Ever to Invite the World to Create Original Games and Share Online With Millions

By: Michael Mc

Michael Mc — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:37:14 +0000

@Kieran: I’m a sixth form student at a UK Secondary SCHOOL, too!

How did they verify your student status via email? :s

By: Kieran

Kieran — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:22:51 +0000

@Some guy

I emailed Microsoft about this, and explained to them that I was a sixth form student in a UK Secondary SCHOOL. They verified my student status and I can now download the dreamspark downloads

I can understand exactly what you are saying, it just seems Microsoft themselves don’t

By: Robert Kingston

Robert Kingston — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:39:21 +0000

Wish I was still a student…

By: Some guy

Some guy — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:31:03 +0000

@Kieran
We’re talking in US terms here.
Guess what university are.
Colleges are the working units of universities. Not anything below that.
“Schools” does not refer to primary or secondary schools in this context. For example, The Harvard Business School is a higher education institution providing degrees in business related fields.
Junior college is post-secondary school whose purpose is to provide vocational and professional education.
Community college is roughly the same thing.
They specify all of them since naming can be confusing in some institutions.
In the UK and other countries, these terms may mean other things but the fact is Microsoft is only aiming for tertiary education.

By: mrmckeb

mrmckeb — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:29:12 +0000

@tryagain

Yes. They will always be free, that’s the idea of the express editions.