Where's 2003 server?

[Mercutio]

I got my happy-pack from MSDN this morning.

Office 2003 beta 2, Exchange 2003 and... 2003 Server RC2 (only this time a "360 day trial version")?

WTF? Didn't 2003 server go gold like a month ago?

Anyone else have an action pack sub or MSDN? Didja get 2003 server yet?

 

[honold]

http://winxp.bink.nu/

 

[Mercutio]

Hm. I've not been able to get the ISO from MSDN, either. Been trying for about two weeks.

This is bloody annoying.

 

[Howell]

What is the cheapest way to legally get MS software to test drive for possible implementation?

 

[honold]

they have 120-day demos of most major stuff.

 

[Mercutio]

An action pack subscription is ~ $300. Considering that you get a full, legal copy of everything Microsoft makes (er, except games and the odd consumer package like Plus!), I'd call that a frickin' bargain.

... or there are the 120 day trial versions of more-or-less everything that you can get from the microsoft site.

 

[honold]

action pack does look like a good deal - i already have msdn universal access. don't you have to be a partner to buy it?

 

[Pradeep]

You can be a reseller to get an action pack. It must be used only for internal business and testing purposes. It's a great way to stay legal for a small business.

Merc, the one thing it doesn't include is the Visual Studio series/FoxPro. Or the early download access that MSDN users get.

The action pack updates are going out at the end of April so hopefully will contain the 2003 Server final. Last update a few months ago we got a nice carry case for all the CDs, and some service packs, and win 2003 RC2.

 

[Handruin]

I believe build 3790 is the last one and it went RTM. (just reformatted and installed it over 3788 tonight at work) I also thought it would be on the shelves by the end of this month.

On the surface it doesn't seem like much has changed since W2K. I haven't dug into what it offeres over and above W2K AS.

 

[freeborn]

I maintain an MSDN enterprise subscription for my lab here. So far the 2003 release version has not been sent with any media pack. The ISO image was posted to MSDN downloads on 3-26-03 and I was able to download Windows 2003 Server Standard edition last week. I've got it running now on my home server without issue.

Free

 

[Howell]

You can be a reseller to get an action pack.

What are the legalities of being a reseller? I'm not sure I have enough volume.

 

[Mercutio]

The only requirement is that you file paperwork at the county clerk's office. They'll advise you what you need to give your state dept. of revenue.
You'll have to pay taxes several extra times a year on estimated earnings, which well and truly sucks, but if you don't make any money, you can claim a lot of your "hobby" stuff as expenses. If you don't show a profit for several years, the IRS and state revenue dept. will assess back taxes on your expenses, so it's important to show SOME profit.

The accounting issues are the biggest drawback, but I have the good fortune of having access to a *great* accountant through my father. I've never gotten a refund until this year, but what I got is a down payment on a mid-sized luxury car.

 

[P5-133XL]

Merc,

That is a IRS definition: Microsoft's def. is considerably looser and consists of you filling out a web-based form saying you are one.

 

[Howell]

You'll have to pay taxes several extra times a year on estimated earnings, which well and truly sucks, but if you don't make any money, you can claim a lot of your "hobby" stuff as expenses. If you don't show a profit for several years, the IRS and state revenue dept. will assess back taxes on your expenses, so it's important to show SOME profit.

This is part of being self employed not a reseller persay. Pops is also a BA accountant. Small World(TM). Perhaps only a business license is required. I know I can not by from the local wholesaler with out a tax ID.

Microsoft's def. is considerably looser and consists of you filling out a web-based form saying you are one.

Suffice to say the MS definition is quite liberal.

The Microsoft Action Pack Subscription is restricted to resellers, consultants, value-added resellers, value-added providers, system integrators, developers, system builders, hosts, service providers, and IT professionals who sell Microsoft products or provide solutions based on Microsoft products and technologies to third-party customers.

 

[Mercutio]

Hm. I might've thought they'd do more checking than that. I know I had to go through hell to get the MSDN password for my company changed.

I actually just give my taxes to my father's accountants. I know how to do them myself, they're just better at it in a blood-from-a-turnip sort of way.

 

[GIANT]

What is the cheapest way to legally get MS software to test drive for possible implementation?

One can buy an academic edition for low $, provided that you are a student of course. The academic version of a Microsoft product functions no differently than a standard retail product, only the box that the software comes in is different.

http://www.provantage.com/scripts/go.dll/-s//vmcsz00p

 

[Mercutio]

Took me 2 weeks but I finally got the file transfer manager to download something. Before, it would do SOMETHING... at .1k/s or something similarly ridiculous. 15 minutes ago I made another hopeless stab at downloading the thing from MSDN... and I finally got a good transfer rate.

My place of work is an AT&T (Comcast) demonstration center - covered by @Home service and TOS, unfortunately, which limits what we're allowed to do - but it's a 10Mbit aggregate pipe (it's something of a rigged demonstration, you see...)

Today was the first time I actually saw something deliver close to 10Mbit from the internet to this location. Downloaded 543MB in 8 and a half minutes. It was beautiful.

 

[Pradeep]

There's one thing that MS does well, and that is have a ton of bandwidth.

Merc if I were you, I'd move into work

 

[CougTek]

http://www.provantage.com/scripts/go.dll/-s//vmcsz00p

Thanks Gary. This reminder was especially helpful for me now (not that I am a student though).

 

[GIANT]

http://www.provantage.com/scripts/go.dll/-s//vmcsz00p

Thanks Gary. This reminder was especially helpful for me now (not that I am a student though).

One caveat about academic discounts: What may be available in the USA, may or may not be available in another country.

One should check on the availability of such software in their respective territories. (I wonder if academic software discounts are available in Greenland? I wonder if there are any non-military computers at all in Greenland.)

 

[Mercutio]

In quite possibly the most annoying decision ever, 2003 Server does not support the DEC Tulip (e.g. Linksys 10/100 and a bunch of other generics) NIC chipset.

No idea why, but the first two machines I thought about moving to 2003 Server both had a Linksys card in them, and the setup program won't continue if it finds one, even if it isn't an adaptor you're using.

 

[SteveC]

I ran into that in the RCs, and I was hoping they would change it for the final version. I guess not. Is there any rational reason for this?

 

[Pradeep]

Yes I heard rumours that it wouldn't support the Tulip. WTF were MS thinking when they had that bright idea?

 

[Mercutio]

I cannot imagine a reason to drop support for that chipset. It has a high-quality WDM driver, and it's a high quality chipset.

 

[Pradeep]

I wonder what happens if you remove the Tulip, install 2003, and then reinstall the Tulip. Would it shit itself? Demand reactivation and blab to MS that you've been a naughty boy? The mind wobbles.

 

[GIANT]

The reasons for lack of Tulip support could be many. Manufacturers (not Microsoft for the large part) write the device drivers that are on a Windows O/S CD and then submit them to M$ for testing and hopeful conclusion on the final product, or into a Service Pack.

It may be that the drivers had not completed testing before Win 2K3 Server went to manufacture, but might just be at the card maker's websites now (or soon). It may even be that the company(s) that uses the Tulip wants to kill off the affected card by no longer supporting it. One last possibility is that a Win2K driver may work just fine.

I sort of recall something like this happened when Win2K came out with some HP drivers (i.e. -- the old HP) -- scanners, printers, or.... something, it was.

 

[Pradeep]

I think some HP peripheral users are still waiting for win2k drivers. Especially for those all-in-ones. Very poor support on HPs part. [/b]