MSDN - MSDN Subscription

Author

MSDN Subscription - Software EULA

2005-05-13, 4:00 pm

I had a few questions about the EULA for the software one gets access to as
part of that subscription.

If a subscription is purchased by an individual or entity, is the software
that is gained through that subscription limited to that single person, or to
a single person within that entity? Does that apply to all of the software?
For example, could an entity assign two VS Studio licenses to two separate
people?

Also, I noticed several times that the software was limited to testing and
development. Does that mean that programs produced by something like VS
Studio couldn't be used in production? Could we not use what we created with
this type of license in our normal operations?

I've also read that there is some limit on how long the software accessed
through an MSDN subscription can be installed. Is there actually such a
limit? I didn't notice anything in the EULA.

Finally, is the EULA universal to all MSDN subscription types, or do higher
subsciption levels, like MSDN Universal, ease the EULA?

Sylvain Lafontaine

2005-05-13, 4:00 pm

Each subscription is limited to a single individual and each person
accessing an application installed under the MSDN EULA must have a
subscription of sufficient level for that application.

For exemple, with MSDN you have 10 Win2003 licenses (I'm not sure of the
exact number here) so with one subscription, you can install Win2003 on 10
physical machines for testing and development purposes. However, each
person accessing these Win2003 servers must have their own MSDN license of a
sufficient level to incorporate Win2003. If you have 3 subscriptions, then
you can install Win2003 on 30 servers but each of these servers must be
accessed only by individuals which have a subscription license of the same
level or higher. (If necessary, for exemple with multi-languages
applications, you can ask for additional installation licenses at no cost.)

The distinction between testing and development on one side and production
on the other side is for the installation of applications like SQL-Server
and doesn't covert the code that you produce yourself. For example, with
SQL-Servers installed with a MSDN license can be used to develop database
applications (tables, queries, views, etc.) and these applications can be
later copied or transfered to a SQL-Server with a production (or regular)
license but the SQL-Servers with the MSDN license cannot be used directly as
production machines.

Of course, with VS Studio, all things that you are doing are testing and
development only, so this distinction doesn't really apply in this case.
There is an exception for this and it is for Office; as each Professional
subscriptions and higher comes with a regular license for a regular use for
one individual. (There may be other exceptions, too.)

The time limitation that you have heard is for the Action Pack, which is a
particular subscription distributed for showcase purposes and doesn't
concern the MSDN subscriptions. However, for MSDN, you must take care of
keeping a note of serial numbers and activation codes for products that you
intend to keep using after the end of your subscription - if you don't make
a renewal - because at the end of the year you won't have any longer access
to the MSDN subscription site.

--
Sylvain Lafontaine, ing.
MVP - Technologies Virtual-PC

"KN" <KN@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1AAB4CB1-F416-4D32-829E-BEEBF1972D55@microsoft.com...
>I had a few questions about the EULA for the software one gets access to as
> part of that subscription.
>
> If a subscription is purchased by an individual or entity, is the software
> that is gained through that subscription limited to that single person, or
> to
> a single person within that entity? Does that apply to all of the
> software?
> For example, could an entity assign two VS Studio licenses to two separate
> people?
>
> Also, I noticed several times that the software was limited to testing and
> development. Does that mean that programs produced by something like VS
> Studio couldn't be used in production? Could we not use what we created
> with
> this type of license in our normal operations?
>
> I've also read that there is some limit on how long the software accessed
> through an MSDN subscription can be installed. Is there actually such a
> limit? I didn't notice anything in the EULA.
>
> Finally, is the EULA universal to all MSDN subscription types, or do
> higher
> subsciption levels, like MSDN Universal, ease the EULA?

2005-05-14, 3:57 pm

Thanks, that answers a lot. Just to clarify, if we develop code with VS
studio using our MSDN licensed copy, we can use this code in our production
systems?

Thanks again.

"Sylvain Lafontaine" wrote:

> Each subscription is limited to a single individual and each person
> accessing an application installed under the MSDN EULA must have a
> subscription of sufficient level for that application.
>
> For exemple, with MSDN you have 10 Win2003 licenses (I'm not sure of the
> exact number here) so with one subscription, you can install Win2003 on 10
> physical machines for testing and development purposes. However, each
> person accessing these Win2003 servers must have their own MSDN license of a
> sufficient level to incorporate Win2003. If you have 3 subscriptions, then
> you can install Win2003 on 30 servers but each of these servers must be
> accessed only by individuals which have a subscription license of the same
> level or higher. (If necessary, for exemple with multi-languages
> applications, you can ask for additional installation licenses at no cost.)
>
> The distinction between testing and development on one side and production
> on the other side is for the installation of applications like SQL-Server
> and doesn't covert the code that you produce yourself. For example, with
> SQL-Servers installed with a MSDN license can be used to develop database
> applications (tables, queries, views, etc.) and these applications can be
> later copied or transfered to a SQL-Server with a production (or regular)
> license but the SQL-Servers with the MSDN license cannot be used directly as
> production machines.
>
> Of course, with VS Studio, all things that you are doing are testing and
> development only, so this distinction doesn't really apply in this case.
> There is an exception for this and it is for Office; as each Professional
> subscriptions and higher comes with a regular license for a regular use for
> one individual. (There may be other exceptions, too.)
>
> The time limitation that you have heard is for the Action Pack, which is a
> particular subscription distributed for showcase purposes and doesn't
> concern the MSDN subscriptions. However, for MSDN, you must take care of
> keeping a note of serial numbers and activation codes for products that you
> intend to keep using after the end of your subscription - if you don't make
> a renewal - because at the end of the year you won't have any longer access
> to the MSDN subscription site.
>
> --
> Sylvain Lafontaine, ing.
> MVP - Technologies Virtual-PC
>
>
> "KN" <KN@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:1AAB4CB1-F416-4D32-829E-BEEBF1972D55@microsoft.com...
>
>
>

Sylvain Lafontaine

2005-05-15, 3:55 am

Yes, there is no restriction on the code that you write with VS and you can
put the result (the compiled programs, libraries, ActiveX controls or
whatever else) everywhere, including production machines and machines where
you don't have a licensed copy of VS installed.

--
Sylvain Lafontaine, ing.
MVP - Technologies Virtual-PC

"KN" <KN@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:BB2CBB41-6205-4728-B358-E95A2815EFAD@microsoft.com...[color=darkred]
> Thanks, that answers a lot. Just to clarify, if we develop code with VS
> studio using our MSDN licensed copy, we can use this code in our
> production
> systems?
>
> Thanks again.
>
> "Sylvain Lafontaine" wrote:
>

Mike Brannigan [MSFT]

2005-05-18, 8:55 am

"Sylvain Lafontaine" <sylvain aei ca (fill the blanks, no spam please)>
wrote in message news:e$Z9hR3VFHA.3864@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Each subscription is limited to a single individual and each person
> accessing an application installed under the MSDN EULA must have a
> subscription of sufficient level for that application.
>
> For exemple, with MSDN you have 10 Win2003 licenses (I'm not sure of the
> exact number here) so with one subscription, you can install Win2003 on 10
> physical machines for testing and development purposes. However, each
> person accessing these Win2003 servers must have their own MSDN license of
> a sufficient level to incorporate Win2003.

Not entirely correct.

Not every person using a machine that is installed under an MSDN license
requires an MSDN license as you state.
When doing particular testing you are not required to have a MSDN license
for your testing staff - think UAT where you have some business users
testing the app - these would not have MSDN licenses.
This is all covered (as well as the original posters questions in the FAQ.
see
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscript....aspx#licensing

Do all users also need an MSDN license to test applications?

MSDN licenses are required for testers who do progressive test,
configuration testing, debugging and maintenance programming.
MSDN licenses are not required for user acceptance testing or stress
testing, provided that that the testers will not be doing any debugging,
configuration, or maintenance.

And the original posters question

Can I use the Visual Studio product to create an executable file and
distribute this file for sale?

Yes. Applications, utilities, and executables you develop using Visual
Studio, Access, or Office Developer can be distributed to customers
royalty-free, pursuant to the terms of the corresponding End-User License
Agreement (EULA). In addition, there are many redistributable components
included with Visual Studio, which you are welcome to incorporate into your
applications and distribute for free pursuant to the terms of the Visual
Studio EULA.
Please note there is a royalty for Microsoft server products that are
distributed with applications. For more information see the Product
Integration Program
--

Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
newsgroups

"Sylvain Lafontaine" <sylvain aei ca (fill the blanks, no spam please)>
wrote in message news:e$Z9hR3VFHA.3864@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Each subscription is limited to a single individual and each person
> accessing an application installed under the MSDN EULA must have a
> subscription of sufficient level for that application.
>
> For exemple, with MSDN you have 10 Win2003 licenses (I'm not sure of the
> exact number here) so with one subscription, you can install Win2003 on 10
> physical machines for testing and development purposes. However, each
> person accessing these Win2003 servers must have their own MSDN license of
> a sufficient level to incorporate Win2003. If you have 3 subscriptions,
> then you can install Win2003 on 30 servers but each of these servers must
> be accessed only by individuals which have a subscription license of the
> same level or higher. (If necessary, for exemple with multi-languages
> applications, you can ask for additional installation licenses at no
> cost.)
>
> The distinction between testing and development on one side and production
> on the other side is for the installation of applications like SQL-Server
> and doesn't covert the code that you produce yourself. For example, with
> SQL-Servers installed with a MSDN license can be used to develop database
> applications (tables, queries, views, etc.) and these applications can be
> later copied or transfered to a SQL-Server with a production (or regular)
> license but the SQL-Servers with the MSDN license cannot be used directly
> as production machines.
>
> Of course, with VS Studio, all things that you are doing are testing and
> development only, so this distinction doesn't really apply in this case.
> There is an exception for this and it is for Office; as each Professional
> subscriptions and higher comes with a regular license for a regular use
> for one individual. (There may be other exceptions, too.)
>
> The time limitation that you have heard is for the Action Pack, which is a
> particular subscription distributed for showcase purposes and doesn't
> concern the MSDN subscriptions. However, for MSDN, you must take care of
> keeping a note of serial numbers and activation codes for products that
> you intend to keep using after the end of your subscription - if you don't
> make a renewal - because at the end of the year you won't have any longer
> access to the MSDN subscription site.
>
> --
> Sylvain Lafontaine, ing.
> MVP - Technologies Virtual-PC
>
>
> "KN" <KN@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:1AAB4CB1-F416-4D32-829E-BEEBF1972D55@microsoft.com...
>
>

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