Dreamspark, software differences?

Discussion in 'Windows 8' started by Meeza, Mar 17, 2013.

  1. Meeza

    Meeza MDL Novice

    Mar 17, 2013
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    I'm really sorry, i wasn't sure where to put this post :/ i looked for awhile :( anyway,

    Hello all, i'm really curious about a couple things to do with dreamspark

    First of all, i am aware that there are academic and retail versions of things, but i hear that the website requires a student verification of your identity to have access, but is there actually any difference in the software itself from what i buy off the shelf? Like activation for example?

    Maybe someone can shed some light, thanks is advance :)
     
  2. AlexAlba

    AlexAlba MDL Addicted

    Nov 27, 2012
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    Nope. Dreamspark offers retail products and they provide retail keys to activate.
    It's pretty much the same as an MSDN/TechNet subscription.
     
  3. anarchist9027

    anarchist9027 MDL Expert

    Oct 30, 2010
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    Thats not entirely true, Dreamspark Premium is more like TechNet, regular Dreamspark gives you mainly Windows Server, Visual Studio and a few others I cannot remember off hand.
     
  4. Jessica Alba

    Jessica Alba MDL Expert

    Jul 26, 2009
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    Dreamspark Premium is giving retail keys now too :D
     
  5. AlexAlba

    AlexAlba MDL Addicted

    Nov 27, 2012
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    #8 AlexAlba, Mar 17, 2013
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2013
    Yes, I know that. I'm just saying the ISO images are the same.
     
  6. Meeza

    Meeza MDL Novice

    Mar 17, 2013
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    what about this?

    ht tp://e5.onthehub. com/WebStore/ProductsByMajorVersionList.aspx?ws=e5b305bb-799b-e011-969d-0030487d8897&vsro=8&JSEnabled=1

    my school has an account here
     
  7. PaulDesmond

    PaulDesmond MDL Magnet

    Aug 6, 2009
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    If you have an account there for login, you're just fine. You get W8 versions except enterprise and some genuine keys
     
  8. Meeza

    Meeza MDL Novice

    Mar 17, 2013
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    Yeah my lab instructor gave us all an account there, that's why i'v been hard at work to find out what the difference of the software there is from retail lol there's a buttload of stuff there, visio, visual studio, access, win 8, 7, vista, server 2008, 2008 r2, 2003, 2012 the list goes on lol but it looks like a separate company working with microsoft, i could be wrong...
     
  9. PaulDesmond

    PaulDesmond MDL Magnet

    Aug 6, 2009
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    Simple answer is: there is no difference at all and go and load all you can get as long as you have access and save all keys as well :D
     
  10. Stannieman

    Stannieman MDL Guru

    Sep 4, 2009
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    Does MSDNAA still exist? I'm going to a different school than last year (school year). In my old school we had DreamSpark premium, which has pretty much everything except for Office. Now I don't have access anymore but I grabbed all keys :D
    From my new school I got an account on ma3d.com and there we got MSDNAA. I thought that didn't exist anymore, but anyway...
    We have some products there but not all. Vista, 7, 8 is there (8 only since 1 month or so). Some server things, not sure about VS. But if we have vista, 7 and 8, where is XP?? And if we have 8, why took it so long? I got my 8 pro keys from the previous dreamspark right before my account closed, and it took another 2-3 months before it came available on ma3d.

    So do we have a dreamspark premium account and ma3d only gives us access to what they think we need, or is it something else?

    BTW it are indeed only retail keys these days (checked with vamt). For 7 and vista (previous school) I still got MAKs with 500 activations though.
     
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  11. bobmanuk

    bobmanuk MDL Novice

    Mar 11, 2013
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    i was a student not so many years ago and too had access to what it called then, e-academy, same thing, different look, and got several copies of windows xp and 7, various servers, used the same keys with different iso's found on the net and they all work, the only thing ive noticed is that my windows 7 keys started to be refused activation, im not saying this is going to happen to anyone else but i can no longer activate any of the 4 windows 7 keys i managed to get hold of whilst as a student.

    i dont mean to hijack this thread btw so if you want me to i will make another thread but is it possible that academic keys can "expire"?

    i know my account is still there but i have no subscription so i am unable to actually download anything or access my previous keys
     
  12. Stannieman

    Stannieman MDL Guru

    Sep 4, 2009
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    Do you still have your EULA from e-academy? Mine from dreamspark said that students can keep using the products after they graduate (only for educational purposes of course). And graduation means account closed I guess...

    Sure you didn't run out of activations? Maybe check in vamt to see what MS thinks of your keys.
     
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  13. bobmanuk

    bobmanuk MDL Novice

    Mar 11, 2013
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    #16 bobmanuk, Mar 19, 2013
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2013
    im sure it said something similar, which is why i am a little perplexed, it is entirely possible that it has been activated many times, but i tried to keep keys to certain uses, partners laptop, sisters desktop etc, if their machine is scrapped then the key gets used elsewhere, my own key has been activated WAY more times than any other key and (last time i checked) still works, all my other keys are no longer activating. though i cant remember what reason activation provides, it is probably along the lines of being activated too many times. i shall see what vamt has to say

    EDIT

    ive just entered a couple of keys into vamt, one is mak and the other retail... its rather strange as i got them all from the academic site, im still adding a third, it doesnt half take its time