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Free TechNet Professional subscription (US, Canada, UK)

By | June 3, 2009, 3:40am PDT

Microsoft, in a mysterious move, have offered anyone with a valid shipping address in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, a free TechNet Professional subscription.

As Neowin points out, it may well not be for absolutely everyone, but it does appear to be so. Confirmation will be needed from Microsoft but as of yet, they are not commenting on this. Still, if it works for you, you will have access to a wealth of Office, Windows and Dynamics software for three months for absolutely nothing.

  • UK users
  • Canadian users
  • US users

Update: looks like the “offer” has been closed… or fixed. Take your pick; typical Microsoft bureaucracy takes precedent in these situations, they don’t tell us journalists anything - especially if they’ve made a mistake.

All you need is a valid shipping address, for the CD/DVD shipments, and an email address (which, let’s face it, everyone has) and you can be downloading within minutes.

Once you make your way through the online “ordering” process, you will receive an email confirmation shortly afterwards. This will provide you with download links and your access information to begin downloading.

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Topics

Zack Whittaker, a criminologist who studied at the University of Kent, Canterbury, is a journalist, writer and broadcaster.

Disclosure

Zack Whittaker

I worked briefly with Microsoft UK in 2006 but no longer have any connection with the company. Regardless, I remain impartial and unbiased in my views.

I don't hold any stock or shares, investments or industrial secrets in any company, but have signed confidentiality agreements with a number of UK and U.S. organisations, whose names I am not at liberty to disclose.

I was involved with Kent Union, the University of Kent's student union, undertaking voluntary, non-salaried, elected positions between early 2009 and mid-2010.

No other company, body, government department, non-governmental organisation or third sector organisation employs me or pays me a salary in any capacity whatsoever.

As a freelance journalist, whenever expenses are given and taken by a company that is not CBS Interactive, these will be disclosed in each relevant post to ensure transparency.

I currently work with a UK law enforcement unit, but this is an entirely separate position which bears no connection to other work.

(Updated: 23rd October 2011)

Biography

Zack Whittaker

Zack Whittaker, criminologist who studied at the University of Kent, UK, is a journalist, writer and broadcaster.

After studying criminology at university, though still in his early-20's, he has already had a series unconventional work and voluntary positions. He has worked with researchers studying neurological illnesses like Tourette's syndrome (which he suffers from), has given lectures on the nature of disabilities in the public community, and occasionally ends up speaking on television and radio discussing the events of the day.

He first had academic work published at the age of 22, then still an undergraduate, and has been cited by a wide range of publications: from the Huffington Post, Business Insider, AllThingsDigital, The Atlantic Wire and CBS News.

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RE: Free TechNet Professional subscription (US, Canada, UK)
odedszpiro 4th Jun 2009
Links do not work.
Previously the links froze the PC.

Waste of time for technet users/subscribers.
What free What subscription?
0 Votes
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Interesting indeed ...
johnfenjackson@... Updated - 3rd Jun 2009
... I'm in. Signed my life away. Confirmation received immediately for UK registration. Interesting to see what it really means.

" New Subscriptions:
If this is a new subscription, once processing of your payment is completed,... you will receive a second email confirmation. Within 48 hours of the processing of your payment, you will receive a third email with instructions for how to access your online benefits and additional program information."

Maybe only 3 months subscription and not a year (how much can you download in 3 months?). May fail. Gift horse. Mouth. Nothing ventured - nothing gained.

Thanks for the tip-off.

HAND
0 Votes
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Well FEH...
Wolfie2K3 3rd Jun 2009
At 5:45 AM Pacific Time, I tried signing up for this - but it didn't seem to like my Live ID. Funny. I could sign into TechNet forums, no problem. I could sign into Hotmail with my Live ID, Skydrive, no problem.

But it coughed up some weird error that said my email address may not be a Live ID...? It's a bleeping Hotmail address..! Must be something FUBAR on their end...

Guess I'll have to try it later...
0 Votes
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US subscription "by invite only"?
malbert1@... 3rd Jun 2009
I just tried ordering the US subscription and kept getting the "...unable to validate address..." error. I finally called Microsoft and they told me that this specific offer for the "Technet Plus Consumer Services Professional Pilot" (whew)is by invitation only, this is why I'm getting this error. Is anyone else seeing this when ordering the US subscription?
0 Votes
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Same error
cfrank01@... 3rd Jun 2009
I get the same error as well.
0 Votes
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This is a bogus ZDNET Letter.

You needed to get an email from Microsoft to join for this free Technet subscription.
I just spent 30 minutes on the phone with Microsoft and that is what was explained to me.

Those that have join already and can't get keys for the software have 50/50 chance of getting full access. As of 10:30 AM ESDT they are trying to figure out how to approach the key issue if you have access to the site and became a member.


0 Votes
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I'm in
x-windows user 3rd Jun 2009
and I've got keys already.
so if all else fails, I've got my moneys worth.
Just got in an got my keys....10:45 AM ESDT
looks like they changed their minds. I just tried all three links you provided and none of them are working. I went to the story you linked to, no luck from there too.

I looked at the Technet home page, no mention of the offer.

I guess it is a case of "you snooze you lose".
0 Votes
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You may have to keep trying, it took me about 30 minutes of going back, and clicking submit before it finally processed.
0 Votes
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I don't think so...
Wolfie2K3 3rd Jun 2009
As of about 11:30am - there's a brand new page up - it says: The Resource Cannot be located - and on the page, it says "Server Error in '/offer' Application" - with a 404 error below it.

Ah well... Might have been nice.
0 Votes
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That's all, folks...
Jesse Marchant-Shapiro 3rd Jun 2009
As of 4:30PM ESDT, I was still able to download and get keys. However, I
can now do neither, it appears that the subscription on my account has
been terminated.
0 Votes
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RE: Free TechNet Professional subscription (US, Canada, UK)
x-windows user Updated - 3rd Jun 2009
subscription terminated. bummer.
the whole thing does NOT work at all.
What free offer?
None of the links work.

Waste of tech net users/subscribers.
Links do not work.
Previously the links froze the PC.

Waste of time for technet users/subscribers.
What free What subscription?

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