If you read the terms on the site you would see that you need to activate the key before January 1st 2013. In other words no, stockpiling keys doesn't help you in any way and only potentially makes it harder for the rest of us to get one.
Each must be activated before then - but can be reactivated anytime thereafter.. I don't have to remind u to use JC's tool to backup, do I?!
Look at the small prints on the MS page "you need to activate the free WMC upgrade keys latest Jan 31, 2013"....hehehe. At this point there are 2 arguments yet to be clarified, some say that even if you activate it now, you still won't be able to activate it again after 2013/1/31 for a re-install, some say that the statement is only meant for the first activation, so if you activate it now, you can still activate it on re-installations after jan. 31.
Looks like that it can be restored without any problem in any time using the Advanced Tokens Manager..
it's microsoft problem, to allow anyone to get a key, they should ask for the windows key first and check that it is Pro then give the free upgrade WMC key. I am waiting for my WMC key since 2 hours, nothing yet....
I got my key however now that I have installed and rebooted the pc I have a watermark on the desktop screen. My install is a Dreamspark pro version a legit dreamspark student key so why are they now watermarking my system.
My Firewall was blocking the activation. All sorted now, I just have to learn to take a deep breath and think before I post stuff.
Yahoo and Outlook work too - after some 17 hours of simultaneous requests for all my e-mails,the first arrival was Yahoo,with Outlook trailing by 7 minutes. The google request is MIA,though