http://www.microsoft.com/msdn/msdnprog.htm (PC Press Internet CD, 03/1996)
The Microsoft® Developer Network (MSDN) offers three levels of membership customized for your development needs. A summary of the three levels is shown below, followed by detailed information on each level. For pricing information, see Membership Fees below.
For more information on the MSDN program, please see the sections below:
In today's development environment, access to timely, comprehensive, well-organized information is a key to success. An MSDN Level 1 membership delivers quality information via quarterly Development Library CDs and bimonthly issues of the Developer Network News . An MSDN Level 1 membership is essential for any developer using Microsoft development tools or targeting any of the Windows® platforms.
You should consider a Level 1 membership if:
The Development Library, which is delivered every quarter to all MSDN members--Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3--contains more than 150,000 pages of essential information on programming for Windows.
It's all here on one fully searchable CD: comprehensive product documentation, exclusive technical articles, reusable sample code, and much more. And with every edition, roughly 50,000 pages are either updated or contain completely new material.
Bimonthly issues of the Developer Network News focus on discussions of Microsoft systems strategy, news about upcoming Microsoft development products, case studies implementing Microsoft technologies, and tips from expert developers within Microsoft.
Access Information Instantly
You might be asking yourself, "How am I going to wade through 150,000 pages in the Development Library to quickly find the information that I really need?"
Good question. The Development Library boasts a fast, full-text search engine that locates every instance of your query on the CD and ranks the results. Especially handy for developers is the Keyword Index that jumps immediately to the function, message, or structure in the product documentation in the Library.
Be More Productive
Many MSDN members say they never take the Development Library out of their CD-ROM drive (except when the next quarterly edition arrives). They rely on it so heavily because it makes them more productive. The Library gives you the information you need to squeeze the most out of your Microsoft development tools. You also have the resources at hand--like the complete Developer Knowledge Base--to avoid costly downtime.
If there is an issue that you can't resolve using the Library, all MSDN members have access to member-to-member online forums.
Several licensing options are available for Level 1 to enable workgroups to share the wealth of information in the Development Library.
For large workgroups, Level 1 members can purchase concurrent-user licenses, which permit the members of a large group to install the Development Library software on their workstations, but allow no more than 5 (or 25) users to run the application at a given time. Current Level 1 members can purchase a 5-concurrent-user license for US $595 or a 25-concurrent-user license for US $2495. The licensing takes effect immediately for the remainder of the original Level 1 membership and is extended for the additional four issues included in the upgrade price. The number of developers supported by a concurrent-user license depends primarily on the group's usage patterns and network performance. Developers who expect to make heavy use of the Development Library should consider individual memberships.
Call (800) 759-5474 to order additional single-user licenses, to purchase a 5- or 25-concurrent-user license, or for more information on licensing.
A Level 2 MSDN membership moves you beyond information access and provides you with the horsepower of the latest Microsoft systems technology. And it's all delivered right to your doorstep in a single package every three months--all for a price that you know right from Day One.
Is a Level 2 membership right for you? You should consider joining MSDN as a Level 2 member if:
The Development Platform, which goes to both MSDN Level 2 and Level 3 members every quarter, is a set of CDs that delivers the latest released versions of Microsoft SDKs, DDKs, and Windows and Windows NT Workstation operating systems.
Quarterly updates are great, but some code is just too hot to sit on the shelf until the next quarterly Platform shipment. If an important product, such as Windows 95, is released "off cycle," we'll ship it to you immediately as a bonus, stand-alone shipment--at no extra charge.
We also use these "premium shipments" to deliver pre-release versions of essential operating systems and the corresponding Win32 SDK. For example, over the past year Level 2 members received premium shipments of two pre-release versions of Windows 95 and one Windows NT Workstation 3.51 pre-release.
Build the Latest Microsoft Technologies into Your Apps
The Development Platform is the official source for all Microsoft SDKs and DDKs--in fact, many of the toolkits are not available anywhere else. The SDKs for OLE, ODBC, MAPI, SQL; the evolving Win32 SDK; and dozens more--they're all here, and the latest versions are automatically rolled into each quarterly Platform release.
When you combine the toolkits on the Development Platform with the accessible information in the Development Library--including the manuals for the toolkits and more than 1800 code samples to get you started--you have an unbeatable combination for building the latest Windows technologies into your applications.
Test Your Localized Apps
More and more developers are extending the reach of their applications by localizing them into different languages. If you need to test localized apps, the Development Platform is the easiest way to get the latest versions of the Windows and Windows NT Workstation operating systems in every available language. No more long-distance phone calls--all the language versions are integrated into each quarterly Platform release, and it's all included in your annual fee.
Install Easily with the Development Platform
The Development Platform Installer makes it a snap to find and install the products you want--which is no small feat considering the Platform often consists of more than a dozen CDs stuffed with over 45 individual products.
With the Installer, you can look at New, Updated, or Current products in a File Manager-like directory structure--all without having to insert the CDs into your drive. There is also a full-text search interface to help you find those toolkits hidden deep down in the directory structure. And for each product there's a brief description and detailed directions on how to set it up.
Licensing Options
Level 2 membership includes a single-user license for both the Development Library and the Development Platform. Because Microsoft operating systems can be licensed only to a single user, additional licenses are not available for Level 2 memberships.
Upgrading to Level 2
If you are a Level 1 member and are interested in subscribing to the Development Platform, or you want more information about Level 2 benefits, please call the Microsoft Developer Network Service Center at (800) 759-5474, from 6:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. (Pacific time), Monday through Friday.
A new era is dawning in business computing--Microsoft BackOffice. It's based on five best-of-breed products that combine to form an integrated information system, one that results in streamlined business processes and improved decision-making.
A Level 3 MSDN membership is simply the most efficient, comprehensive, and cost-effective way to develop and test client-server solutions for BackOffice. Level 3 is appropriate for a wide range of developers:
BackOffice is emerging as the enterprise development platform of choice because you can easily leverage the features already built into BackOffice to create and sustain real business value instead of "reinventing the wheel." Tap into the functionality of Microsoft Systems Management Server to make your applications easier to deploy across workgroups, departments, or entire organizations. Use the connectivity in Microsoft SNA Server to give PC users seamless access to legacy data. And leverage your existing development expertise by programming with familiar, industry-standard interfaces: the Win32 API and OLE object technology.
An integrated BackOffice Development and Testing Environment
Each MSDN deliverable makes developing client-server solutions that much easier. The BackOffice Test Platform delivers the latest released versions of the five server components of Microsoft BackOffice (Windows NT Server, SQL Server, SNA Server, Systems Management Server, and Microsoft Mail Server) so you can test your client-server solutions with confidence. The Development Platform delivers all the API-level toolkits that you'll need for both BackOffice development and client-side development. And the Development Library gives you all of the information for BackOffice development--product documentation for the server products, technical articles on relevant topics, sample code, and much more--on one CD that is fully searchable.
Affordable and Easy to Administer
Just think of how much a Level 3 membership would simplify your life: everything delivered right to your doorstep in a single package every three months, all for roughly half of what you'd pay for just a single release of the BackOffice components purchased separately.
And you know how much you're going to pay for the whole year--including all product upgrades, bug fixes, and special pre-release software like "Cairo," the next version of Windows NT--right from the moment you sign up.
The BackOffice Test Platform also has an approach to licensing that makes sense for developers. The Test Platform allows for up to five simultaneous connections to the BackOffice server, so you can easily develop and test your client-server applications before deploying them.
An Approach that Makes Sense for Developers
With the BackOffice Test Platform, you're assured of always having the latest versions of the BackOffice products, including all upgrades and bug fixes. You also won't have to wait if an important pre-release or final release--such as Microsoft Exchange--falls in between the quarterly shipment cycles; we'll send it to you as a "premium shipment" at no extra charge.
Level 3 members also receive a total of four phone-support incidents per year: the two that come with a Level 2 membership and an additional two to cover installation and configuration issues related to the BackOffice Test Platform. ("Mission critical support" and "quick fixes" are not included with a Level 3 membership but are available through the Microsoft Support Network.)
Licensing Terms Specific to the BackOffice Test Platform
These are the highlights of the licensing terms that accompany the BackOffice Test Platform. (A more detailed license accompanies the delivered product.)
To join in the U.S. and Canada, call (800) 759-5474, from 6:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. (Pacific time), Monday through Friday. Outside North America, contact your local Microsoft subsidiary, or call (303) 684-0914 in the U.S. to obtain local contact information.
30-day money-back guarantee . If you're not completely satisfied with your MSDN membership, simply return your initial shipment within 30 days for a complete refund of your annual fee.
Questions? To inquire about your membership status, ask general questions about the Microsoft Developer Network, or to place additional orders, call the Microsoft Developer Network Service Center at (800) 759-5474.
The Microsoft Developer Network evolves based on developers' comments and suggestions. From your feedback, we prioritize the content we acquire for each new issue of the Development Library, the Development Platform, and the Developer Network News and target the functionality we want to add to the Development Library and Platform Installer. We need your ongoing feedback to ensure that the Developer Network is providing the Microsoft information that you need most.
We encourage you to send us suggestions and comments, both positive and negative, regarding any aspect of Microsoft's developer services. Use one of the following feedback channels:
Internet: msdn@microsoft.com
CompuServe: >INTERNET:msdn@microsoft.com (or type GO MSDN)
Mail: Microsoft Developer Network, Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399
