Re: Visual Studio 2005 Express in now permanently free...

I.P. Nichols wrote:
In a long and very windy press release today Microsoft announced that after more than 5 million downloads Visual Studio 2005 Express will be permanently free.
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/apr06/04-19VSExpressFreePR.mspx
http://news.com.com/Microsoft+extends+tool+giveaway/2100-1007_3-6062716.html
"Software has the potential to transform everyday lives. By making the Visual Studio 2005 Express editions available free of charge, we're putting the power of programming into the hands of an exploding community of recreational programmers," said S. Somasegar, corporate vice president of the Developer Division at Microsoft. "This community has asked for it, and we are excited to provide it."

Smart marketing:
1. Limit the time period for this "free" offer:
- results in more downloads because people want stuff
WHILE IT IS STILL FREE!!
2. Once you've maxed out the downloads announce the above:
- seems like good will, listening to the community, etc.
results in good PR and yet another opportunity to remind
the masses that they can get VS for free (in case they missed
the first announcement).

Smart Microsoft, very smart.

Hopefully DevCo will be able to come up with some unique spin on this when they deliver BDS Foundation/Personal/Express/??.

Admittedly Microsoft is probably targetting Eclipse with this move, but it does impact Delphi...

Cheers,
Kevin.
.

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