Microsoft Announces Educational Plans to Support CTP and Betas

This week, Microsoft announced educational plans to support Visual Studio 2005 Beta 2, Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Beta 2, and the SQL Server 2005 April Community Technology Preview (CTP). The new release bring the company steps closer to delivering the products to customers. Together, the products provide an integrated development and data-management platform that enables customers to utilize existing skills and familiar tools to harness data in new ways that increase productivity and efficiency. Microsoft also announced the GoLive! License program for customers interested in deploying Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005 Express Edition immediately. The company plans to provide customers with educational resources that will help them prepare for the launch of these two products.

   With the availability of the SQL Server 2005 April CTP, Microsoft also announced that it would adopt CTPs for the remainder of the SQL Server 2005 development cycle. By being given more interim releases, customers have the ability to experiment with the new features gradually instead of having to wait for infrequent, more cumbersome releases. The CTP provides greater predictability and the ability to manage changes over time.

   To support the availability of Visual Studio 2005 Beta 2, Microsoft Learning is offering developers who register for Beta 2 a free online Microsoft Press book about Visual Studio. Microsoft Learning will further support the Visual Studio 2005 Beta 2 and SQL Server 2005 April CTP availability with Microsoft E-Learning titles planned for this summer, and will continue to support Visual Studio 2005 with training opportunities such as books in the box, free Microsoft E-Learning modules and vouchers for discounted exams. Microsoft Learning enables customers to adopt and take immediate advantage of new technologies. Hundreds of Microsoft E-Learning modules, courses, and certifications and dozens of books for Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005 will be made available at all stages of the product life cycle.

Read the full press release today at

   http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/Apr05/04-18VSSQL2005PR.asp