MS Visual Studio Express Free!

Today, Microsoft launched the Express Editions of Visual Studio 2005. In doing so, Microsoft appears to be following the path taken by Sun in making Java free.

The VS Express 2005 Package includes:
Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition
Visual C# 2005 Express Edition
Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition
Visual J# 2005 Express Edition
& SQL Server Express Edition

Originally, VS Express Edition was in beta (and I remembed Microsoft giving out free VS Express 2005 Beta CDs during Oracle OpenWorld 2004 in SF).

Wait... but there is a catch! Although many news website simply says that is is free...
Microsoft says:
Visual Studio Express Editions—Free for 1 year
SQL Server Express Editions—Free

Until November 7, 2006, we are promotionally discounting the downloadable versions of Express to free. This doesn’t mean that the product turns off after a year, but rather that as long as you download the product before November 7, 2006, you can get it for free and you can use it forever.

But even more assuming was the fact that a friend of mine, Wei Kiat, point out that there is an error on Microsoft's J# website.



Apparently, Microsoft simply copied the whole chunck of text from the Visual C# Website.



Note: this problem still existed when we posted this message. We don't know if it has been changed.


Technorati: Microsoft Visual+Studio+Express