Cheapest(legal) way to get MSDN and...

[Churchill]

OK chaps and chapesses, what's the cheapest (legal) way to purchase the MSDN subscription + Visual Studio + Visio + Project etc.

TIA

[Bunk]

I'm pretty sure it would be BizSpark if you're eligible, otherwise MS Action Pack.

[Churchill]

I'm pretty sure it would be BizSpark if you're eligible, otherwise MS Action Pack.

Probably the Action Pack - any idea how much?

[Bunk]

Probably the Action Pack - any idea how much?

I'm sure it was about £200 a year when I last looked into it.

Edit: £199 + VAT

[ctdctd]

Don't think Action Pack includes MSDN or Visual Studio stuff?

Linky

[Bunk]

Ah, that's rubbish. Good job I didn't sign up for that

[Bunk]

Looks like you can get the Web Solutions Toolkit (which contains VS2008) for free with the Action Pack. Don't know how you would go about getting MSDN though.

[rsingh]

You get Visual Studio Standard via the Special Edition Web Solutions Toolkit of MAPS if you complete an online test.

Alternatively, <cough>Google "Amazon Academic licence - VS2008 PRO"<\cough>

Perfect for learning the product. Obviously you must fulfill certain criteria...

[thunderlizard]

Same question, v1.1

After much prevaricating I've decided I want VS 2010 Professional with MSDN subscription. Any happy shoppers know how to get it reputably for less than £905.20 + VAT before I hit the QBS checkout?

[d000hg]

They've 'refactored' MAPS and moved the dev part into a new thing. Look at:
Microsoft Action Pack Development and Design

Three MSDN for Microsoft Action Pack Development and Design subscriptions that provide access to the latest versions of the Microsoft Visual Studio Professional development system, Microsoft Expression Web design software, the Windows and Windows Server operating systems, and Microsoft SQL Server database software for development and testing.

and
BizSpark

# Less than three years old?
# Making less than US $1M annually?

But it might be a little confusing and their site is shockingly, genuinely shockingly bad. Whenever I talk to them on the phone they seem to say different stories too but the truth's in there somewhere.