Contest: Win Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite with MSDN Premium Subscription

I think I should win because I am the first to comment :-) I work as a contractor for large banks in Edinburgh, Scotland who don’t “get” the whole team suite thing. I need to get team site to make sure the banks start using it, creating more consultancy positions and opportunities for all greedy contractors like me.

I’ll put it into good use?

First off it seam’s I’m the first :) reason number 1. Secondly I really, really want one. I can’t afford 10000$ That would be number 3. Number 4 I would be willing to trade my copy of LOST season 1 (including the bonus DVD) for it. Reason 5 I’m generally a nice guy once you get to know me :). Reason 6 I’m willing to pay for the shipping and handling. Number 7 I’ll bookmark your blog and promise to come and say hi at least once a month. 8, I have seen the entire full season of LOST again (even the bonus) and really need something new to inspire me.

Jason

During the last two years I have evangelized in our firm a couple of new features in VS 2005 that will help our developers a lot: new “source safe” (Team Foundation) and FxCop support. Now that I received VS 2005 pro through MCP program, I found out that both features are missing from that edition, and even old FxCop doesn’t seem to work with the new VS. I’m just going to loose my reputation, and a copy of Team Suite could save that.

I take reason 1 back, seam’s I am not the first after all…

I would love to have the VS. See, i do have the VS.Net standard with the non optimizing c compiler. I think the .net stuff is useless crap, i dont mind about the msdn subscription (msdn on-line is perfect for me, and free), but I WOULD LOVE the optimizing c compiler, especially since my freeware tools got very demanding on cpu power.

Paco

First is: having VS2005 TS we will be able to create the most sophisticated communication platform for mobile devices based on Microsoft technologies in the whole world - actually developing…

Second is: I am the first to comment :D

Third is: as soon as we have the licence we will worship You with all my coleagues :D (no voodoo dolls - a promise :D)

Fourth: If not - You will be responsible for at least 6 siucides (me and my team members) commited with an old rusty spoon… (it hurts You know.. ;-)

Have a nice day and happy new year :-)

I believe that I should win ‘cause as a student I could never afford anything in that price league. Other than that, I have to admit that I’m certain that I will not be able to use (due to a lack of understanding) the full power right from the start, but I think that after I’ve spent some time with it, I should be able to make it work for me.

Moreover, having a MSDN subscription would mean that I wouldnt have to put up with the stuff Toshiba put on my Tablet PC but could just download the MSDN disks and use them to get my baby to work at peak efficiency, thereby freeing up RAM for VS2005.

With the subscription, I could also encourage other students to start programming .NET and C Sharp - and we all know that the more there are, the better it is :-)

I run most of the IT systems here at the University of the West of England which compromises 6000 Windows desktops, which I provide builds for and the identity management system (MIIS) that I also develop for. The really scary part (and this gives ME goosebumps) is that the University is too damn tightwad to pay for an MSDN subscription for me so I can work out if I’m doing it right! Please help an impoverished developer so he can afford to leave UWE and get a decent job elsewhere…

As a Microsoft geek who has been working ONLY on Microsoft technologies all my life, an MSDN Premium Subscription would be a dream come true as its something I just cannot afford at the moment. So phil me up with some Microsoft goodies O Weber.

Ok, its kinda simple.

20 year old guy. Born in Pakistan. Studying in Upenn. Has no money. Loves Pcs, IT, tech gadgets, programming and pizza. Has been drooling ever since he read the title of your post. Will streak naked through college campus if given this prize (umm… ok maybe not, but I will do anything else that you ask me to :P )

I think I should win this, since I’m currently taking Computer Science classes, and we cannot get Visual Studio at school, and I cannot afford it. So, since I’m really into software development, I could really make good use of this.

Because I am German! …and because I truly have to be shown the value of Microsoft products so that I will spend the money on the next release instead using competitive products. ..and I will make you a nice chocolate cake!!!

1. I won’t sell it on eBay.

2. I have a friend who is a doctor, his entire practice is considering the move to Linux-based systems, he has asked me to do some application, and database work for him. I told him that I typically work in MS products, however I have found myself looking into the LAMP methodology as of late to try and support small businesses looking to get current with technology, they can’t afford to spend the kind of money it would take for the entire office to get up and running with a real Windows network, SQL, et al.

3. I currently am programming custom Portlets for our Plumtree based portal, since the aquisition of plumtree by BEA, not much talk is headed in the .NET space, it’s all JAVA and PHP.

4. I do what I can to keep MS products in my Corporate environment, however the pressure from the outside world is forcing me to consider alternatives.

5. If not me, then find another indepent programmer who will further the .NET cause. Their are alot of good people out there, hey how about the Church that SCOBLE is always going on about, they were recently forced to make a platform decision and I think Windows Lost…

First off, I’d liek to take this time on behalf of the community to thank you for offering people a chance to win one of these licenses. Secondly, I’m currently attending classes with a Major in Computer Science at a local college where as we use Visual Studio all the time. It would be nice to be able to come home and be able to use the same stuff we have in school once in and while for homework and when I work on other software projects. I’ve been into computer programming for about 7 years learning as much as I could on my own before College. Now being in college I find that unlike free compilers like gcc, Visual Studio is very versitille. One thing that really make me want to win this license is the fact that the power of the new Visual Studio is just shear amazing. I mean especially when it comes to web development it’s going to be one of those tools that you’ll want to use especially if your using an SQL Database. So in general, I’d love to win this Visual Studio Team Suite License as well as the MSDN Premium Subscription to help with school, push my knowledge further, and in general get used to the tools that I will be using in the Industry.

Thanks, Bryan

Take a look at my static html website. You know I need this stuff.

I’m a developer who has chosen to go independant and I simply cannot afford the high cost of an MSDN subscription. I’m the only breadwinner in my family with a new baby on the way next month. Having the ability to upgrade my aging VS 2003 purchase, complete with the MSDN libs from a subscription would be the best present I’ve received this year. Thanks for the consideration.

-M

Unlike most of your readers, I don’t come from a Microsoft background, but from a Unix background, and that’s where my programming experience is. The Microsoft world has always somewhat eluded me, because that world is expensive. But I’ve made progress using cygwin, the free toolkits and compilers, and played with the free edition. In conclusion, I probably won’t be the one to make full use of this right away, and won’t pretend to be a hot-shot programmer either. But if you’re looking for a young geek that is very interested in learning this, then that’s why I’m here.

I work for a small log homes manufacturing shop. The IT department here is quite small, (3 to 4 people). As a small shop, we handle many requests, ranging from IT duties to full-fledged software packages.

Being a manufacturing company, the importance of IT isn’t what I would like. Money is short, and usually goes to other priorities. Our software projects are all done with Microsoft technologies, but many of these are old and obsolete. The chance to upgrade to something more robust (VSTS) that lets the independent developers work together instead of overriding each other would be great!

– WOOHOO! 99 words! :)

Definate need in resources as I am about to be laid off from my company due to a merger and need to keep technologically up to date with the best tools in the market, I am also a volunteer firefighter, working to start a technology empowerment plan to increase efficiency and effectiveness among fire and medical first responders in a financially challenged community.

In My country – USD 10,000 = Rs 4,60,000

One Good Meal Costs = Rs 20 One Years Meal Costs = Rs 20 * 3 * 365 = 21900

Total Money/ One years Meal Costs = 4,60,000 / 21900 = 21

By giving away this software you, Phil Weber, can do charity equivalent of providing free meals to 21 people in a third world country for one full year.

There can not be a more noble reason.

In a word, I have three girls that suck down all of my money. For this reason, I can not afford to buy that software myself, even though I’d like to! That being said, I have toyed with the idea of going out on my own and doing contract work. This would be a great boost to that endeavour if I were to go that route.

I think I should get the VS 2005 and MSDN pack because i)I am one of the few people who use J#, and this will boost the morale of J# users. I also use the other languages, so I will be able to utilise the entire spectrum of VS2005 Pro, ii)I am a student, so you will be helping the Next Generation, iii)I have ideas for really cool stuff that I could make. iv)I could help Microsoft with tons of feedback, indeed I give a lot of feedback. v)I will create a page on my website with a hundred thousand links to your blog.

I’ll take an alternative approach…

1. I DON’T whine about coming from a third world country, where USD 10,000 is about 3 times the average salary (although I do)

2. I DON’T brag about being an early and important .NET evangelizer (even if I’m giving an Introduction to .NET for all of MCI Argentina this Friday)

3. I WON’T say anything about all the wonderful things I’d do with it (I’ve already written a couple dozen apps in .NET, big deal)

I’ve been told that these are all perfectly good reasons to do stuff.

Like give me a bunch of free software:

1 - Because that’s where I want to go today 2 - My potential. Microsoft’s passion 3 - Because I need to build my ‘next big thing’ 4 - I need to ‘Communicate. Collaborate. Create’ 5 - Because I’m worth it. 6 - Because you can’t beat the feeling 7 - Because 8 out of 10 cats prefer it

What, you need more reasons?…

I think I should win because I develop software on my own for no-profit associations, like this one (i’m sorry if the page is in italian) www.auserteramo.it/timebank and a free copy of VS2005 should help me keeping alive my voluntary service as developer!

Reason: Money

Well if it were me I would look for someone, like me, who has been in IT for years (15+) but never became a code person. I have always wanted to learn and get involved more in the creation of IP but have found plenty of other connectivity and security related services that I can provide up to this point.

I have a question what would you expect of the person you are giving this too?

It seems that TeamSuite can be really usefull in an agile software development environment … and, as you can see, I’m a proud PairProgrammer (http://blogs.ugidotnet.org/images/blogs_ugidotnet_org/nicolacanalini/1737/o_100_0722.JPG)

1. I work with Microsoft technology extensively and is pretty good at Sql Server. I do believe you need to be at a certain technical level to get the most out of the subscription;
2. I am a writer and blogger, and I constantly share my findings and knowledge to the community;
3. I do not have MSDN subscription. Therefore, if I have it, it will have a bigger impact to the world at large because of my writing and blogging.

I would like to develop on this cool suite the release 2.0 of my open source software IMHO (http://imhoproject.org) and a bunch of extensions I plan after the release. All this software will be free for bloggers community. Please consider me for one license. Thank you.

I spent twenty years in the IT field working with all of Microsoft’s products as a tech support person, developer and director, going way back to the days of Windows 1.0. Now that I am a computer science teacher in a suburban Boston school, I am having terrible withdrawal symptoms not having access to my favorite Microsoft software. I get terribly confused using other products, I can’t teach, I can’t sleep at night and I am just plain miserable. I need this software package for my classroom so I can rejoin the human race!

I think I deserve this package, because:

1. I am only a poor student and I don’t have the money to even buy the Standard-Version, so that I have to stick with Express Editions.

2. I am already a big Microsoft fan and giving me this subscription would prove once and for all to me and all my friends that Microsoft is not an evil borg.

3. I need all the enterprise stuff that is not in the Express editions like XSLT-debugging.

4. I regulary use C#, VB.NET, XML, XSLT, ASP.NET and SQL Server, so that I will use a big part of the features that are in the package.

5. You would give a poor student a better future, a sweeter life and better job chances.

6. I don’t sleep very much and since programming in the latest .net stuff is the only joy in my life, you could make my nights much better.

7. I promise to never delete your feed from my news reader and to read every single post of yours.

8. AND THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON: My brother is a Linux freak and prefers the PHP, MySQL, Apache stuff and after hours of discussions I couldn’t convince him yet to switch to the MS camp. This would be the ultimate chance to show him all the cool features in the new Visual Studio and show him that MS has the better products.

9. Come on, aren’t that enough reasons? Just think about a poor boy that raises his head to look at you with his big blue shiny eyes and begs at you as if his life depends on it and than imagine that I am this boy!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Thomas Krause

Hi Phil,

1) I’m the first Italian guy that leaves you feedback. :-) 2) My workmates believe that “Access is enough for building good apps”. VSTS would be the way for me to make their ideas change (and my company would buy VSTS licenses :-) ).

I deserve a MSDN subscripton. I work so hard to find those betas. Try them out and give my valuable opinion.

I recently started a small company with a friend of mine. We are creating a massively distributed on-demand application using .NET, WCF and WWF. The project is self funded with each and every penny we have (yes, we’re now broke)! Team Suite would give us the power to wear the multiple hats of developer, architect, and tester in a very efficient fashion, which is what we need to make sure we complete our product and try and secure venture capital. We do not have the funds to purchase something of this caliber but definitely need it. PLEASE HELP US OUT!

Well, I’ll take an alternative approach to everything I’ve seen here.

I’m a computer science student in Dominican Republic, wanting to major on Programming and Software Developing. Ever since the launch of WinXP here, I’ve attended absolutely all Microsoft events, and am a current (although outdated, though I’m working on that) member of the 5-Star Developer program. I want to major in Microsoft-based languages, if only because they’re the most widespread right now. I LOVE programming, and such prizes (if we can call them that) would immensely help with my dream of becoming a professional developer.

I would love to be the recipient one of your MSDN subscriptions because… I am dreaming (more planning than dreaming) of starting a business and this would be a huge help. I have lofty goals of being a strictly agile shop, using TDD, and other XP axioms (bonus points for vocabulary?). I (mostly) left the Java world and am (mostly) a converted .NET true believer. Nothing fosters loyalty more than free stuff! My goal for my business is to not only create kick-ass software, but more importantly to create a kick-ass workplace with great people. I haven’t played with Team System features much, but from what I read, it can really streamline workflow and project management (who needs project managers, anyway?? No offense to the 4 or 5 good ones in existence! :)

One of the touogher things to do in this world is to convince someone that you’re worthy of receiving something of great value for free. As an independent consultant who has been writing custom Windows applications since 1994 I can appreciate the value of such a gift. The jobs come and go and I often wish I could justify the cost of an MSDN subscription. (I probably could, but then there is the problem of deciding to either pay for the subscription or make the house payments). ;-)

Yeah, the development software is something that I should be getting in order to do the best possible job for my clients, but in the end I just can’t justify the cost of such a thing.

So please pick me. I’ll be forever grateful. :-)))

Pick me, Pick me. I would like to get this system to make a better world for you and me. For our children too. To solve global warming, racial inequality and marital bliss too.

Came here from mini-microsoft via scoble. Don’t you guys get it? There’s plenty of capable tools out there that are free, cross platform and tried and tested.

Sorry to put a downer on it, but I wouldn’t want VSTS even if it was free.

Please pick me for the msdn Uni, I need this for updated documentation and so I can persue my knowledge of xaml. and other technologys. I’m poor and looking into colleges or I would by this myself. :(

I am from the beautiful island of Jamaica, student studying Computer Science, loving technology, very passionate about it. Areas of technology I blog about on a regular basis includes Vista and 64-bit Windows, check out my blogs, http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta and http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre. I am the ideal candidate to win these top-notch prizes simply because I cannot afford them and never will, since resources are low and current expenses are vital to my getting an education first. Winning these prizes will help me further my education and get a good job eventually. Factoid, package cost Jamaican $626,500. US $1 = JA. $62.95. Thanks!

Missed expectations, my bane, last visited itself upon me with the CEO coming up after a demonstration of the latest version of their beloved Smart Client Software this past month asking “where are the reports?!”

We need to:

1. Implement a documentation practice in a company where none has existed before;
2. Graphically show progress on software systems, features, bug-fixes, and time-lines;
3. Coordinate work and testing in order to replace phone calls, emails, and notes (none of which can be found when urgently needed), especially when team-mates work in other parts of the country.

Please help me meet expectations.

package pa.j2ee.liberate;

public class FreeMeFromJ2EE {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
           System.out.println ("Free me from J2EE, PLEASE!!!!!!!!");
    } }

First of all: I’m Italian and I’m trying to describe because I should win VSTS. In 2 years I BEGAN developing, I STARTED developing , I LEARNED developing and finally I’m developing. I don’t think I’m the best dev. in the world ; but I know that if i’ll win, I can be one of the best developer of the world, because vsts is the best developing IDE. In two years I developed in vb6, in vs 2003 and I recentely tried vs 2005 (express edition). VS let me the possibility to create WHAT I WANT(in the version 2003 too) and I’m sure that vs 2005 team suite can leverage the productivity of a developer of the 500%, not of the 70% as Microsoft says. I hope that I didn’t make English errors ;) Bye, and select me for vs2005. I BEGAN, STARTED, LEARNED and I’m developing. Remember it. Nobody has learned all.

I’m surrounded by developers that hate Microsoft and have vowed never to give them any money. Most of the developers I work with are Linux fanatics and make comments like “using Java I could code circles around you.”

As a die-hard Microsoft fan-boy I need to show them that Microsoft makes superior solutions compared to the opensource community. Please save me from Java and CVS, you’re my only hope.

Why? Because my friend and I are trying to start up a company and we could really use that to put on our systems and it’s a good start for convincing the “others” that we should use Windows, .NET and Visual Studio 2005 Team System above the Linux/Mac stuff.

I’ve used .Net since the early betas (I still have Beta 1 & 2 CDs of 2002) but I just don’t know what I’m missing by not having the full Team Suite. I’ve read all of the documentation that I can find but its kinda just in the category of “I need to see it to realize the benefits.” I think it would be great for my development team here but I just don’t know.

Hi Phil The company i work for is in desperate need of a VSTS license. Due to the changes in the licensing and MS partner program, we are unlikely to be renewed as an MS partner, despite being staffed solely by dedicated MS developers, including the best two programmers i’ve ever met. We don’t have the time to sit exams, because we’re responsible for every aspect of the business (including sales, marketing, admin) and now the cost of upgrade will be monumental. Enough complaints from me. Make sure you give it to someone worthy!

Well, I am an ardent .NET fan and have been developing usng .NET since it’s advent. Only problem is that I use all the tools a.k.a VS and MSDN Universal at my work (my company has the licenses and the money to buy it). Sad to say that I cannot afford these softwares and I am slowly turning away towards opensource tools (MySQL, PHP, Apache etc.) and software - although they are much cumbersome to use. I know one day I will leave my current job and with it I will lose my abilities to use the expensive MS tools. (: VS 2005, SQL 2005, VSTS and MSDN Universal are some of the coolest tools to develop .NET apps today. MS should really open up SKUs like the Express Editions for cheap (I know they are free for a year…) although they are devoid of many important features. Something is better than nothing… MS should really think about the single developer and the one man development shops that can’t afford these excellent tools. Proof is on the internet - except for MSDN bloggers (MS employees), how many bloggers do you find talking about MS tools - very very few. The average guy (not working for a big corporation) cannot afford MS tools. But, for opensource tools - a very big community is out there interacting and sharing. Sorry about the rant, but I love .NET and the nice MS tools - wish I had them for personal use…

I do not deserve this any more than anyone else. You should not give it to me. DO NOT GIVE IT TO ME.

You’ve heard of reverse psychology, right?

=)

I’m a software developer from Kyrgyzstan. I work as programmer since 1993. I’m very interesting in new technologies such as .NET. I participated in VS 2003 beta testing and won VS 2002 license. But now I can’t buy license for VS 2005. In Kyrgyzstan we haven’t too much money. But I would like to use new VS 2005 in my projects, so I can earn money and buy MSDN etc. I want to create local .NET group in Kyrgyzstan also.

I am a tad skeptical about all of this… since when is Microsoft this generous? Why don’t you just keep it for yourself? Seems kind of fishy to me… I guess you’ll have to prove me wrong and give me that copy!

Thanks, Mark (crosses fingers)

Here’s a tongue-in-cheek response in case you get tired of the real ones: I have a wife and triplets at home. All four are currently screaming very loudly and I really NEED some new software to quiet them down. The triplets are 12, 13, and 20 years old. As you can see, my wife has had a lot of labor during those years. Besides that, I was a poor programmer who dogfooded Linux until Redhat kicked me out. I’d really like to try this VS thing because I have around 2 GB free on my 3 GB hard drive, which should fit the C# compiler and MSDN documentation. Then, I’ll uninstall them and install the VB.NET and MSDN documentation next week. Yeah, I know - it’s a really hard life!!!

OK, OK, none of the above is true - my wife and triplets don’t exist and I’m sure someone out there needs it more than I do…

I work for a small software company. We are in the process of moving our main app from JavaScript to .NET and this would be a great help in the transition. Plus, I know where my towel is at all times!

I don’t know but I promise to use it if you give it to me ;-) j/k You are doing a great service to the community. Best wishes for the new year.

jane

Hi.

I’ve been planning for some time to quit my job to write the next great medical application. Guess what! The company downsized recently and I got laid off - Now I stand at crossroads; work for the man or be the man. Your package would sure help to get my soon to be startup of the grounds.

developer from Iceland.

Hmmm why should i get $10,000 worth of software…..

Well, despite working for a billion dollar company I have to work with VB5 (yes my friends VB5!) do you know how hard it is to get out of bed every day go to work and deal with VB5 crashing every 5 minutes!!!! I need this subscription to stop me from throwing myself off London Bridge!!! So unless you want the tragic death of a 24 year old prosperous developer on your hands I suggest you promptly send me the software by first class post.

Hurry!!

You should choose me because I will act as you: I will give the prize to someone else. I will enjoy in partecipating this great “resources sharing”.

So, if I will be choosen I will give VSTS and MSDN Subscription to the one who will post the next comment.

OK, it seems I’m also the “one who will post the next comment” you should have just read about. I hope the winner will be the one who post the previous comment… ;-)

I need this software in order to create a web site so that I can then be enabled to fill out the url so that I can enter this contest to win the software to create the web site to… AAAHHHHHH

I used to work with ‘ripster’, who was the first guy to leave a post. Trust me, he’s greedy. The money he saves by using dodgy Offshore tax schemes could pay for a licence ten times over. He also spends the majority of his time holidaying in one of his many properties around the world.

Although I also work for large banks in Edinburgh, I’m not a contractor, don’t have a lucrative tax scheme and don’t own any property. Giving ME the licence would allow me to get ahead of the competition and live the contracting dream.

hi phil,

i read your blog, i am on a good way to be better programmer than you, gggg, but….i am not rich :( I am programming also in my free time on a file management software, maybe, in some years…i will be able to buy the IDE i currently use ;) hope to hear from you, bye, thomas

I would heavily benefit from the use of the license since I would like to continue developing my innovative web development project called WebDev (http://webdev.computerboffin.com). I want to extend the current offering and have the ability to develop gui applications using a webbased windows form UI. I require the generious offer since I will need to continue development on the core server side libraries which require an upgrade to asp.net 2.0. I want to offer this cool service so people can develop portable windows applications inside their webbrowser. My project has had little exposure which is sadning, but however I feel the use of the products would allow me to develop and extend the current offerings which in turn would create high explosure. My project is free but my fanancial status is limited to purchasing a copy of VS 2005. Thankyou

AUTHOR: sms EMAIL: sms.sms@gmail.com IP: 213.156.52.96 URL: DATE: 01/05/2006 02:48:43 AM

you should give me a license because my previous comment (a blank space, I hope that you haven’t blocked it) it’s the shortest comment in your blog and so i’ve done a new record for your blog!! your blog is going to be remembered as the one with the shortest comment in the world. [and also for the worst english writing, because I’m not so good]

A Short Ode to the Trials of an Programmers Outmoded Toolkit By Adam Wright

Whilst coding one day, to my great dismay, I found myself growing nonplussed. In mounting frustration, I grabbed my workstation and hurled it away in disgust! “How much better”, I cried, “could my work be inside if my tools weren’t so covered with rust!”

“With version control, I could go take a stroll, whilst continuous builds catch my quirks. With more unit testing, I could spend time investing in specifications that work! I might again feel full of programming zeal and less like a mechanical turk!”

I need one, because I want to keep my job. I cannot afford to buy one, because I have 3 kids and a fat wife to feed. My kids are starving, and my dog barking, and I am lost with the bills my only hope in this world is MSDN subscription and Team System give it to me please, give it to me (and I am talking about Team System here)

I need it to spread the peace in the middle east I need it to stop the hunger in the world I need it to spread the love everywhere

I will build site and software that teach love and peace for the people around the world, and with all the languages I need it because I want to save money for beer

Common please I will promise I will kiss your ASP.NET for my whole life I will go everyday to your site and kiss it

Please god, help me

Ok, Let me break it down for ya. Zippa zippa what?

1) I have no money because every time I save any I end up having to spend it.

2) This year I had to have 4 of my top front teeth pulled leaving just one in the center of my mouth. Being called Baby Huey rocks. Oh and the banjo music jokes.. can’t get enough of that.

3) I have some killer Ideas that having the extra software around would help with.

4) My mother died 3 weeks ago at the age of 51. Four days before Christmas.

So, if anyone needs a friggen break around here its me damn it.

PS I’m serious

Ugh, this pandering is shameless.

Students, check with the academic programs at your school/uni for great deals (or free even) on VS.NET Pro.

Remember, VS.NET 2005 Express Editions are free for a year. I use the Express Edition and the online MSDN documentation and have no complaints.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/default.aspx

Alternatives to (the overpriced) VSTS:

http://searchvb.techtarget.com/tip/1,289483,sid8_gci1091076,00.html?bucket=ETA

or heck, go Mono. Mono has a great IDE (monodevelop) and

http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page http://www.monodevelop.com/Download

I don’t want VSTS, even if you paid me to take it.

I say you should give it away in a random lottery (System.Random?). There is no way to fairly distinguish between the sob stories. Please exclude me from the lottery.

Great OS tools / projects:

http://csharp-source.net/

I installed and lived with Windows Millenium Edition.

$10,000 worth of software is not enough compensation for that experience.

But it is a start :-p

An Ode to Team Suite:

T is for Tools, of which there are plenty, E is for Editions, of which there are twenty *. A is for Additional tools that you get with some versions, M is for MSDN library, for documentation excursions.

S is for Starter Kits; already there are eleven +, U is for Unit Testing; now I’m in heaven! I is for Integrated; the way the tools are, T is for Team Foundation Server, that I covet from afar. E is for Everything added together that makes me want to win this prize!

• Some artistic license taken here as it’s more like 14, but I’m sure there are enough combinations including MSDN subscriptions to make twenty :P
• Download here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/downloads/starterkits/

I’m paid to develop enterprise java on Linux. Everyone else who replied is already a customer. If I got this suite, I’d be a new customer ;-)

I’m a micro ISV and I’ve been hearing all the great features of .Net Fx 2.0 like Generics, ASP.NET 2.0 and the rest of them on DNR, but I’m yet to try it out simply because if I do and I get hooked I can’t afford to upgrade to VS 2005. I’m also trying to grow my operation to include a dev team and I’m in the process of working out the structure and processes required. I hope VSTS will help with the structuring of the team dev effort and productivity if I win this copy.

To amend my previous post, and to be more specific of my intentions, I am working on a project now that would a web based application based on free, user specific sharing of information.

I currently have a small group that is working on it and I think it really could be the next best thing to sliced bread. (I am not knocking sliced bread in any way. It really is almost impossible to take over the #1 spot and I have no intentions of trying)

With that being said, I also plan on creating a Wikipedia and or blog entry on the progress of the application so that others can learn all the aspects of what it takes to host such a site, how the site will grow for the amount of users and any other information that others who want to start a large user based website might find helpful.

It will also include costs, start up funding and anything else that is generally hard to get a straight answer on.

So with that being said, it would be really helpful to win such a prize. Basically something that is one of the biggest expenses I can think of for this start up.

I am a 15-year-old boy and have nothing to do with my life. Please help indulge my coding obsession with a Team Suite. I promise I will stay in front of my computer all day and night. Please. I am stuck with an Express edition. How can I possibly become the hacker I always wanted to be without this and, being a teenager I don’t actually have more than 3.00GBP to spend on software. I might save the world with an amazing program / game but if you never give me this, you could be jeopardising world peace. Please… :P

bcaller {AT} gmail {DOT} com

I’ve been working with the J2EE platform for the past 5+ years: J2EE is a nice development platform but its incredibly difficult to use and to integrate all the tools to assemble a software engineering practice. I’d like to have Team System to test if the analysis-design-code-test cycle is faster with Microsoft tools.

Since DevDays 2004, I’ve been rolling a new install of the demo version of VS 2003 every 2 months…on the same box. I support an app of around 10K lines with a demo version (actually, one of about 30 that was handed-me-down at DevDays as left overs, sort of like what you would get if you went to the back of Long John Silvers (fishy fast food) at closing time when they set the cooked food out the back to be sent to the dumpster…it’s in a wax box and piping hot from the buffet-style window!! But that’s a different story).

Do you know how long it takes to unload and reload VS2003? Do you? Have a heart, man.

I think I should win because I have been a MS convert and a MS champion since 1998. I have been an early Java (back when MS was heavy supporter) but drop them like a brick once it was clear that the empty promise can never be achieved.

I have been doing ‘AJAX’ since the word ‘AJAX’ means anything to anyone (1997) and our primary app is still in the same 1997 State of Technology today.

I wanted to move completely to .Net but without a full MSDN sub, it’s hard to really push the entire stack over without all the tools and knowledge (i.e. Team System, Biz Talk, etc).

internal bool WillTheWifeLetMeBuyVSTS() { bool No = false; bool Yes = true;

//Always will be false unless a miracle occurs if(TheCompanyWillBuyIT) return Yes;

//Parents are technology challenged if(CanYouGetTheSoftwareAsAGift) return Yes;

if(DoesTheWifeControlThe Finances) return No; }

I am a man who lost track of time in my college days; squandered most of it on Pizzas and Southern Belles. I got plenty of the former, none of the latter. But by some quirk of fate, may be due to good done in my past lives, I ended up in the software world.

Though there is money in the bank what could I do with it when I my annaul salary is less than a one user license of MSVS - Team Edition. I know there is no free lunch in the US but if you could let me have piece of the pie, I could share that with my team of developers on the other side of the world!

I wish to work in in the software industry as long as I could - my target is 70 years of age. If I get the gift, I shall gift my knowledge to anyone before I die and remember you with much gratitude on my death bed!

I know there is no free lunch in the US of America but it seems that you are trying to contradict that. Well, good for you!

How can I - a working professional - ask for something free? It bothers me to ask, when you could say a million things to deny me.

I am sorry I have to ask you but I could do something good with it and give you a greater share of the credit I get.

Is it OK with you if it is happiness and goodwill?

I, like pretty much everybody else begging their knees off, am running a small ISV and upgrading from VS2003 would effectively kill my business. But I don’t have to tell you that, everyone else before me has done a much better job. Hence, I’m gonna show you a picture which illustrates why I think I should get the license.

Here is the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14924869@N00/86260490/

Take care!

I think I should win because I am student and can’t afford to buy it.

If chosen, I plan to utilize VSTS to create a WinForms application to manage all these great ventures sent to me via email. I could have Exchange Server hosted on Windows 2003 Server retrieve the thousands of emails per day I receive and create a windows service that would scan them and categorize the opportunities, storing them in SQL 2005.

No longer will the poor government workers in African and South American countries go without their money, as I can expedite the funnelling through my checking account (after I keep the 7-10% for myself). No longer will the deals for “Vigara” and products for “Peniel Enlragment” go unpurchased. Random jokes and stories will automatically be forwarded to 100 people to avert the pending bad luck. And finally, after so long, Bill Gates will give me the $10,000 he promised by forwarding his emails to my 1000 closest friends within 7 seconds. However, a $10,000 software package would suffice. ;-)

Some beg and plea, Some write endlessly, Most talk of years of coding, In languages foreboding.

Of trials and tests, and legacy pests, Of coding nightmares, And job loss scares.

All are worth consideration, But you must do deliberation, To pick a winner of the suite, NO VS, to win, it would be neat!

I think i should win because i am student and i cant afford it. i realy want it. if i get it il send day and night in front of my computer. i love to program. if i get it it will be a dream come true i don’t got $5.000 to buy it my self i am going to make web browser please please i bin a ms fan for 3 years now i am stuck with the express edition. i want to be programer but i cant do that with the express edition. please please thank you

I believe I should win a copy of this software so that I can use it to develop http://www.prayerhub.com and http://wsfc.prayerhub.com. I believe I have been called to build a web application to promote Christian prayer for churchs, missionaries and other Christian ministries.

The PrayerHub Network will be a web application to promote Christian prayer for churchs, missionaries and other Christian ministries. I envision a network of websites for these ministries that will allow prayer teams to manage prayer needs within those ministries and share them with others on the network. It will require security levels to manage prayers that are appropriate for specific levels of confidentiality (pastors, prayer team, or public). The application will provide RSS feed capabilities, text messaging (emergency needs), email mailing list, digest mailing list, newsletters, etc.

I have built a basic website using DotNetNuke but it is become more apparent that the standard & commercial modules that are out there can not meet my needs. I am going to start rebuilding it from scratch and Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite will help me do this. My only ability to work on this without this software would be to do it on my lunch hour at work where I have Visual Studio 2003. Obviously this would be limiting…

I want to develop a media server - an innovative, tightly integrated with windows vista (64 bit stuff) - Initially going to build a core engine then a framework - Dotnet2, 64bit support of team suite, vista are going to help lot, the developers are an e-team who are all close friends and worked same kind of projects with me in past. Please help me on this. Thank you

I’m neither poor nor rich. I don’t need surgery of any kind. I don’t have ten starving children at home. I don’t have 1 year left to live. I’m not influential in any way. There’s nothing I could give you (or do for you) in return. I’m not terribly witty or charming. I’m not dashing, suave or fun to be around. I was not a child prodigy. I don’t enjoy Soduko. I won’t thrill and delight you with my programming prowess. I’m not terribly handsome, strong or even symmetrical. I’m not photogenic in any way.

In fact, I can think of no good reason why you should give me a license for Team Suite. So, unless you, like me, enjoy doing things for no good reason…

I certainly don’t deserve it, but that does not change that I would love to get a free copy of it. ;)

1. I’m a student.
2. I’m very curious about the odds of winning this, since there seems to be not a lot of variation in the other requests.
3. Because reason 2 is unique!
4. By the way, some of other entries vastly exceed 100 words. :D
5. You are a cool guy to give away such valuables.

So, I think because that I do the same that you do and I left to be a pirate, JEJEJE. Finally, If I win you don’t go to the heaven but I’ll got the best great orgasm of all my live and my wife too, well I’ll got that anyway. So don’t worry about us, make your best decision, anyway you finally got to be a criminal, a bad guy or worse to many of us, but it’s a good choice anyway, don’t you think?, good choice, regards Carlos…

Three concise and simple reasons to give me the software.

1. I love to code
2. I don’t stoop to begging or brown nosing for software
3. I won’t auction it to anybody, anytime, for any amount of money – actually, I do have a price; but like many things in life, I just don’t know what the price tag is…

Thanks jf

A college education of 3 years – $35,000 A job that pays less year after year – $20,000 Working in Cobol entire career – $5,000

A FREE Visual Studio eXPerience – Priceless

We swears to serve the master of the precious. We swears on… on… on the precious.

So bright… so beautiful… our precious…, and I wants it.

One IDE to rule them all! ;-)

I would like to gain this package, therefore it would be very util as support in my learning, therefore I am initiating my studies in software development, aiming at to develop video games, and with this tool my learning would be perfect.

If I was a rich man…. I can’t buy it. But if I won it, I would use it to develop the team approach to test equipment software development for the NLOS PAM (don’t ask, don’t tell). This software package would enable us to cut our development time in half. Then we could get our product to our brave soldiers faster. They are fighting to protect our freedom and the lives of people who are targets of terrorism, here and abroad. There is no cause celebre that is nobler or more urgent!

I want this software for free so that I can taunt all of my Linux bigot ‘friends’ who think that the only good software costs you nothing.

With this handy toolbox I’ll be able to put together a kick-ass C# app backed by an integrated ASP.NET web portal. This will replace GTS(see link) which I built with VB 6 / ASP.

My free software will decimate anything they can do with FSF-backed crap.

I think I shuold get the VSTS because this is the only wat I will ever even see the .Net 2005 or VSTS while working with the current employer ;). PS: We are starting to develop in .Net 1.1 soon…

I think I deserve this $10,000 software package because then I will create the next generation application. One that far exceeds the dot com era of the 80’s, one that makes the mainframe systems of th 60’s look like oversized metal cabinets, and one that makes all developers just plain old happy. Ahhhh!

I am the one who deserves this free Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite with MSDN Premium Subscription because I promise I will give it to another person just in the same way as you do.

I only want borrow it (and your ideas) to generate some hits for my weblogs ;-)

A great post! Dinh Duy

Because there are too few ways an OK-but-not-good-enough-to-compete cyclist can earn wads o’ cash to buy VSTS.

Because my bride-of-20-years (http://www.philweber.com/2005/12/28.htm#a143 – yes, I read your blog!) enjoys the projects I’ve made with VB5.

Because I can go head-to-head with a lot of geeks in ST:TOS trivia.

Listen – in A Month Of Sundays, Me And My Big Ideas have been Driven To Tears. I’m no Russian, and I won’t post any Sketches of Pain – I’m just Humdrum and Humble, with no Dirty Laundry, as Everybody Knows.

Call My Name. Gimme What You Got. Everybody Loves A Happy Ending.

Obviously these fools can’t read the rules It’s a 100 words or less not as many words as you can confess.

I know this is weak but hey I’m not a poet, just a computer geek

Websphere seems to rule at my location, give me a tool that I can use to defeat this conglomeration.

I’m tired of working for the man And with this tool that cost 10 grand I can work on my own and feel like a real man.

If it is in your heart to award it to me That would make my life pretty Suite!!

I’m Dave. My sweet and beautiful girlfriend Maria (auburn hair, blue eyes & freckles) is beginning to express unhappiness at the long hours I spend apart from her while I’m here at work. She is an energetic, outgoing ‘people-person’ who thoroughly enjoys her 9-5 job but she can’t understnd why I often say I “have to” work until midnight. And I can’t blame her; she has no experience being with someone having the demanding job of meeting project deadlines for a small software company trying to compete. We’re developing Tablet PC software without a lot of resources so, Team Suite would seriously help to reduce the amount of overtime I need to spend on this project - and thus make my Maria smile again. I do miss her :(

The reason is simple: just imaging a lonely sheep being arounded with wolves, hundreds if not thousands. Well, the sheep is me, a programmer that grown up with Microsoft and always love to programming in MS Env; the wolf, actually, penguins, you won’t see many in commercial place, but in my work place (university research), they govern. Give me VSTS, let me show the penguins the meaning of modern dev tool and the productivity. This is the last chance for you to save a sheep, maybe the last one.

I’m Johnny. I run a small Web apps development company. The company is virtual – my few employees and I work from our homes, coffee shops, and airports, collaborating on building Web tools. Most of our clients are small non-profit organizations that don’t have tech staffs. They don’t have much money, therefore we don’t have much money, therefore we could really use the VS Team Suite (cue the violins).

I feel that you should grant me the free copy of Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite because it would help me get my company up and running. I have been trying to receive funding for my company for about 6 months now. We already have 4 ideas for some cutting edge games and a few ideas for a few applications we would like to put into development. If you grant it to us, it will go to good use. Thank you.

It’s the next step in my evil little plan of total code domination!

Live on small island with gently used laboratory! Assemble coding force of extra ordinary magnitude! Win copy of Visual Studio Team Suite / MSDN Premium! Learn Kung Fu and Ju Jit-C, teach it to coder henchmen! Get programmers to work for game time on Xbox 360 that I also need to win ;o) Create company, write freakin cool apps and be bought by Microsoft ;o) Retire in Caman Islands! Write more freakin cool apps, do it all over again because I love to code!