Comments on: Playing catchup with Open Source – Microsoft gives out (more) free software to students http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/ Programming, Education, Computer Science Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:08:53 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Carl Martens http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/comment-page-1/#comment-103507 Carl Martens Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:42:50 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/#comment-103507 This is very cool. I work with a lot of freelance programmers and web designers and the attitude towards Microsoft isn't always the greatest. It is about time that Microsoft does something like this to promote itself, but more importantly to provide the software for free to promote education, something far greater than promoting oneself. Bravo! This is very cool. I work with a lot of freelance programmers and web designers and the attitude towards Microsoft isn’t always the greatest. It is about time that Microsoft does something like this to promote itself, but more importantly to provide the software for free to promote education, something far greater than promoting oneself. Bravo!

]]> By: Tony http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/comment-page-1/#comment-102916 Tony Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:38:43 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/#comment-102916 I think Microsoft would love for students to pirate their software. After all, it's mostly targeted towards corporate professionals. I think Microsoft would love for students to pirate their software. After all, it’s mostly targeted towards corporate professionals.

]]> By: Web Proxy http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/comment-page-1/#comment-102857 Web Proxy Sun, 16 Mar 2008 06:17:37 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/#comment-102857 Wow finally! It's good that they lower their prices especially towards students. For example I was studying graphics design during my school days and adobe photoshop cost easily above 1k. As a student how could I be able to spend 1k on a software which I would be needing in school. If Microsoft did not release cheaper packages for students, I believe piracy will increase thus it's a good move there by Microsoft. Wow finally! It’s good that they lower their prices especially towards students. For example I was studying graphics design during my school days and adobe photoshop cost easily above 1k. As a student how could I be able to spend 1k on a software which I would be needing in school.

If Microsoft did not release cheaper packages for students, I believe piracy will increase thus it’s a good move there by Microsoft.

]]> By: Tony http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/comment-page-1/#comment-102731 Tony Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:56:02 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/#comment-102731 If Microsoft wants to be taken seriously in the web apps arena, they need to stop releasing products that make developers hate their job. It was a huge step for them to reverse their decision regarding IE8's default rendering choices. Though as it stands, IE5.5 is the best Internet Explorer browser to perform on Acid3. It's developers who decide what technology wins, and there are two ways to get developers on your side -- release actually good products, or, I suppose, get them hooked while they are still young. If Microsoft wants to be taken seriously in the web apps arena, they need to stop releasing products that make developers hate their job. It was a huge step for them to reverse their decision regarding IE8’s default rendering choices. Though as it stands, IE5.5 is the best Internet Explorer browser to perform on Acid3.

It’s developers who decide what technology wins, and there are two ways to get developers on your side — release actually good products, or, I suppose, get them hooked while they are still young.

]]> By: blunt SEO link http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/comment-page-1/#comment-102690 blunt SEO link Thu, 13 Mar 2008 02:35:22 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/#comment-102690 Look at the package! (Expression Studio, Visual Studio 2008, Windows Server) They want to have a strong foot in the web application & development. When Apache webserver percentage approaching 75% against IIS (less than 20%) in 2005, I use to think Microsoft will be dead within a couple of years in the web apps arena. I (and all MS basher) was proved wrong again. Now IIS steadily approaching 50% of the webserver market, thumping down Apache share! (their other main tactic is to deal with godaddy to use IIS as the server for internet domain name) These Microsoft guys really understand business! Capture the young generation and you will get the business! Look at the package! (Expression Studio, Visual Studio 2008, Windows Server)

They want to have a strong foot in the web application & development. When Apache webserver percentage approaching 75% against IIS (less than 20%) in 2005, I use to think Microsoft will be dead within a couple of years in the web apps arena.

I (and all MS basher) was proved wrong again. Now IIS steadily approaching 50% of the webserver market, thumping down Apache share! (their other main tactic is to deal with godaddy to use IIS as the server for internet domain name)

These Microsoft guys really understand business! Capture the young generation and you will get the business!

]]> By: James http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/comment-page-1/#comment-102388 James Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:49:32 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/#comment-102388 I guess I'm a skeptic because I would say this certainly is a method of marketing! After all it's the students who will later in life will be buying the software suites for their companies, if they are familiar with Visual Studio they may want to keep using it. Having said that I certainly never complained about getting anything free from Microsoft when i was a student and it hasn't stopped me becoming a big believer in Open Source! I guess I’m a skeptic because I would say this certainly is a method of marketing! After all it’s the students who will later in life will be buying the software suites for their companies, if they are familiar with Visual Studio they may want to keep using it. Having said that I certainly never complained about getting anything free from Microsoft when i was a student and it hasn’t stopped me becoming a big believer in Open Source!

]]> By: Jim http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/comment-page-1/#comment-102323 Jim Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:08:54 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/#comment-102323 I guess the sceptics would say this has only been done as a method of marketing to the next generation, I personally would like to think it has been done for the right reasons. I guess the sceptics would say this has only been done as a method of marketing to the next generation, I personally would like to think it has been done for the right reasons.

]]> By: Taylor http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/comment-page-1/#comment-102217 Taylor Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:03:00 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/#comment-102217 The other factor working agaisnt Microsoft in this case is the fact that many college students use On Demand Software nowadays veruse standalone licensed solutions. The other factor working agaisnt Microsoft in this case is the fact that many college students use On Demand Software nowadays veruse standalone licensed solutions.

]]> By: Martin http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/comment-page-1/#comment-102173 Martin Sat, 01 Mar 2008 18:30:26 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/#comment-102173 Visual Studio is one of my guilty pleasures. It's one of the few programs that I actually enjoy using, rather than just tolerate (the other being vim, strangely enough). If there's one thing that Microsoft really understands, it's the development cycle of large projects. If only the actual editor was ... well ... vim (although I believe there is actually a plugin for it). Visual Studio is one of my guilty pleasures. It’s one of the few programs that I actually enjoy using, rather than just tolerate (the other being vim, strangely enough). If there’s one thing that Microsoft really understands, it’s the development cycle of large projects. If only the actual editor was … well … vim (although I believe there is actually a plugin for it).

]]> By: David http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/comment-page-1/#comment-102026 David Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:19:57 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/playing-catchup-with-open-source-microsoft-gives-out-more-free-software-to-students/#comment-102026 Visual Studio is a terrible compiler. Poorly implemented, full of bugs and as a result it crashes often and library's and other essential components are missing. Visual Studio is a terrible compiler. Poorly implemented, full of bugs and as a result it crashes often and library’s and other essential components are missing.

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