Visual Studio

[PAH]

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

[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]

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]

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.

[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]

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.

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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?