Windows Vista

[John]

I was just wondering if Windows Vista would be available to download via our MSDNAA subscription. I imagine it will be available at some point, but will it be the release date? A week later? A month? A year? When it comes available will we get just the 32-bit version or the 64-bit as well? (FYI: the 64-bit is considerably faster unlike 64-bit XP Pro). Pretty much, I was just wanting all the info anyone knows (for sure) about what we will be getting and when we will get it.

Thanks,
John

[R. Andrew Lamonica]

Typically, operating systems are not offered on the MSDNAA because they are not â€Ã...“developer software.â€Ã,  The reason that Windows XP is offered via the MSDNAA is because Visual Studio 2005 does not run on Windows 98/ME.   However, if Microsoft had wanted to they could have made us distribute Windows 2000 instead of XP because VS2005 does run on it (I believe).  So it is likely that they will start distributing Vista as the â€Ã...“replacement OSâ€Ã, instead of XP eventually, but it may not be for a while.

Part of the problem is that Vista uses a new licensing system that is intended to do away with bulk (or â€Ã...“volumeâ€Ã,) licenses.  This new system is purported to require an organization to run a special license server if they are going to avoid individually activating each system that they own.

The ELMS MSDNAA system may not be affected by the new licensing scheme because it distributes individual keys to each student.  However, our â€Ã...“on paperâ€Ã, license is for blocks of 25 users and so it may legally fall under a â€Ã...“volume license.â€Ã,  I am not sure how Microsoft intends to address the change and they my just choose to avoid the problem by sticking with XP until it nears its planned end of life.

Either way, I strongly suspect that Microsoft will not allow us to distribute Vista until after it is distributed to large organizations.  It will not be distributed to organizations until after the consumer edition is available and the consumer edition will not be for several months*.  So my guess is summer or fall 2007 if at all.

R. Andrew Lamonica
SIUE CS ELMS Admin.

* Although, you can get upgrade coupons with some new computers now.