Reply to: Visual Studio

[PAH]

I've used parcel2go for sending parcels within the UK too.

Seems just about the only option (alongside similar online services) when trying to send a one-off parcel that's over 20 kilos, as that's the max the post office can deal with. Simply due to that's the max weight their scales can cater for, though I expect the price would be a bit high anyway compared to parcel2go.

Daft thing is whenever I've used them it's Royal Mail's Parcel Force that collect it and do the delivery anyway. Bonkers.

[Sockpuppet]

Looks useful - have you used it? Are they reliable?

Used Parcel-2-Go but not the forwarding service. They are good & cheap.

They usually just sub contract out the parcels to another carrier such as city link or UPS in my experience.

[NickFitz]

http://www.parcel2go.com/mail-forwarding-service.html lets you rent a US address

£9.99+VAT/year

They forward it onto you in the UK. But you would have to pay VAT but if its a company purchase then do you care?

Looks useful - have you used it? Are they reliable?

[AtW]

A lot of their patents are just there to prevent big competitors from sueing them on the basis of their own patents, it is much like nukes - both sides have it, but none dare to use it as they know it would lead to invalidation of lots of patents they have - some years ago some idiot CEO decided that "patents" received by the firm would be good means of evaluating how good science people are working, sounds good for the stock market too.

[Sockpuppet]

It's probably worth getting a flight over to the US and having Amazon send it to your hotel.

http://www.parcel2go.com/mail-forwarding-service.html lets you rent a US address

£9.99+VAT/year

They forward it onto you in the UK. But you would have to pay VAT but if its a company purchase then do you care?

[NickFitz]

I'm sure they will. Especially if they think you've infringed anything they've got a software patent on.

Microsoft have never sought to enforce a patent against anybody. They own lots, and they occasionally do a bit of sabre-rattling in an attempt to frighten big corporations away from Linux, but they've never instituted any legal action for patent infringement.

Not bad, really, given the enormous number of cases that are brought against them - I don't give MS credit for much (and certainly not for their software), but they deserve credit for that.

[AtW]

You need this: https://partner.microsoft.com/40011351

Basically it's like ActionPack but more developer targeted, there is a time limit though 2 years. I'd say overall ActionPack is well worth it if you have got a fair few computers, but Empower is not - just grab VS2008 on Ebay and that will work out cheaper.

[darmstadt]

Did you enrol SKA as your application for the Empower programme then?

I wanted to see what Empower was and ended up here

[AtW]

But M$ is in the USA. You should be ok if you don't offer your services over there.

I am not doing anything that Google does not, do you really think that if Microsoft had any parents to stop Google they would have used it long time ago?

They have lots of rubbish parents that won't stand up to scrutiny even in US court.

[PAH]

Software patents are not valid in the UK and Europe.

But M$ is in the USA. You should be ok if you don't offer your services over there.

[AtW]

I'm sure they will. Especially if they think you've infringed anything they've got a software patent on.

Software patents are not valid in the UK and Europe.

[PAH]

I'm sure they will. Especially if they think you've infringed anything they've got a software patent on.

[AtW]

Yes I am in Empower, but it ends in a few months time.

Microsoft is too big to pay attention - but I am sure once they get a clue they might be fast to act

[PAH]

.NET 3.5 is a scam - it is actually CLR 2.0, if you install .NET 2.0 SP1 then you get some of the changes they made to core in normal VS2005 - if you dare check version of CLR under .NET "3.5" you will get same version as 2.0 - very "good" decision by Microsoft

If you don't do Vista (who does?) or LINQ (nice stuff to be honest), then VS2008 is not a terribly wise upgrade. I might get it though when my Empower deal expires in a few months time

Did you enrol SKA as your application for the Empower programme then?

With M$ currently fighting against Google, they may be keeping a keen eye on your stuff, so don't be suprised to find a letter through the door offering to buy it for a few mil.

Unless the postman's already chucked it in the canal with the rest of the mail he couldn't be bothered to deliver.

[AtW]

Ok cheers. Had a quick look at .Net 3.5, think I can live without it for the moment.

.NET 3.5 is a scam - it is actually CLR 2.0, if you install .NET 2.0 SP1 then you get some of the changes they made to core in normal VS2005 - if you dare check version of CLR under .NET "3.5" you will get same version as 2.0 - very "good" decision by Microsoft

If you don't do Vista (who does?) or LINQ (nice stuff to be honest), then VS2008 is not a terribly wise upgrade. I might get it though when my Empower deal expires in a few months time