5 ms·

Microsoft WebsiteSpark

16 points by andrewdavey 17y ago

steverb 17y ago
In case someone pops in without looking at the site, it's basically a way for small web design companies to get the MS Platform for free.
- reedlaw 17y ago
  What exactly is the MS Platform? Is this web hosting using Windows Servers, or free software to develop websites?
  - steverb 17y ago
    From the program guide: Technology offering: The WebsiteSpark technology offering for participating Web professional companies currently includes: - For design, development, testing and demonstration of new websites--for a total of up to three users per Web design and development company: * Visual Studio Professional * Expression Studio 2 or 3 (1 user) and Expression Web 2 or 3 (up to 2 users) * Windows Web Server 2008 or R2 (when available) * SQL Server 2008 Web Edition - For production use: that is, to deploy and host new websites developed using Program software - using a total of up to four processors per Web design and development company, of the following (physical or virtual) dedicated servers: * Windows Web Server 2008 R2 (when available) * SQL Server 2008 Web Edition Deployments may be on 4 servers or VMs of 1processor each, on 2 servers or VMs of 2 processors each, or on 1 server or VM of 4-processors.
    - joubert 17y ago
      I wonder what SQL Server Web Edition is and how it is different from regular SQL Server - is it non-relational? And how is Windows Web Server different from regular Windows Server - can't you install Apache or IIS on any Windows?
      - thismat 17y ago
        To my knowledge the "web" editions (used them before, briefly) are just trimmed down fluff removed copies. They're built specifically for serving web content and don't have quite as many services and features installed as you would expect from a server meant to be say, an AD domain. I may be slightly off here, but this was my understanding of it.
  - deleted 17y ago
    [deleted]
fname 17y ago
That's great and all, but if you decide to keep the Microsoft platform as your business grows, there's no direct upgrade path from their web editions. Format and reload with Standard/Enterprise.
- thismat 17y ago
  For web development, why do you need more? What are the limitations? Also, have you run into this before? I would imagine they would offer straight upgrades or "unlocking" of the web editions to upgrade, is this not the case?
  - fname 17y ago
    I won't argue that it's perfect for Web Development. However, from the offer, it seems to point at having the free software host (in production) your website. If your business grows where you need additional products or services that expand beyond this offer, you must upgrade if you decide to stick within the Microsoft framework. There is no "unlock" functionality to go from Web Edition to anything else -- you must format and reload. It's one of the features to help upsell customers to purchase Standard/Enterprise from the beginning.
    - thismat 17y ago
      Ah, that kind of stinks about the unlocking function not being there. Only thing I can think of is that if your business is growing so you need upgrades, at least your business is growing? haha. I can definitely see why this could be a potential bottle neck, but for freelancers and side-businesses it probably won't be as much of an issue.
ilyak 17y ago
I thought it's a microsoft service to park domains.
RyanMcGreal 17y ago
"Learn More" loads a PDF. Yech.
thenduks 17y ago
Way too little. Way too late. I fail to see how this could be of interest to anyone, certainly not to anyone not already on the Microsoft stack.
- thismat 17y ago
  Because the .NET framework actually is a nice development environment? Especially with MVC? I'm interested in it, as I am forced to use VB @ work (no, I don't like VB, I'd much rather use C# on the .NET platform, and I do when I do personal dev with .NET) and honestly, I have yet to find a development environment quite as nice as what VS offers. I think it offers a great way for developers who work as cogs to enhance their sidebusiness and cut their costs, I do a lot of work on multiple platforms, but I've considered signing up and pushing some clients towards .NET because it's a rich development environment and now actually cheap enough to do small sites with on the side.
  - steveklabnik 17y ago
    But the web allows you one of the greatest chances to break away from the whole Microsoft lock-in! I mean, if you use the MS stack to develop your main applications, but you need them to consume some kinds of service, that's a great place to write the service in something else. And it's not just zealotry. My startup uses all Free software (except for one copy of quickbooks, damn accountants...) because it's, well, always going to be free as in beer. If I had to compare this, I'd take a look at how as my business grows, I'd need to roll out a bunch of cash, whereas I wouldn't with LAMP. That's a pretty big downside.
  - thenduks 17y ago
    You fall into the category of people already on the Microsoft stack then, don't you? I got the impression from this whole thing (and Microsoft's recent behavior in general) is that they're trying to entice the non-Microsoft people over to their stack... And I (personally) think this is a weak offering, especially considering how happy I am with my current workflow and tools.
    - 17y ago
unalone 17y ago
Why is it that every other company on the planet can name things without them sounding lame and corporate? Microsoft has this bizarre design deficiency that I've never heard properly explained. Good design is not as hard as they make it seem.
- viggity 17y ago
  I think BizSpark (for product businesses) and DreamSpark (for students), are both great names. WebsiteSpark sounds lame, I think WebSpark would be a much better name, but I'd guess someone is already operating under that name
  - unalone 17y ago
    _Spark sounds too Orwellian for my tastes, I guess. Like, Spark is such a weird-sounding addon descriptor that I automatically assume it's being attached to something low-quality.
rick888 17y ago
the bizspark program is much better. Rather than getting just free web software, you get pretty much all microsoft software for free for 3 years.
- abyssknight 17y ago
  As far as I know this doesn't cover the server side software. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. :) Edit: Wow, I was wrong. It covers SaaS production software.
- thismat 17y ago
  The bizspark program is definitely nice, but for people like me who do freelance work for other people on the side it's not a viable solution, I recall a limited number of years in business, and something along the lines of being a startup, not a freelancer. This however might make it possible for me to venture out into new territory, easier.
- cheriot 17y ago
  Isn't bizspark setting a pretty big deadline? Free for three years, but hope you can pay multiple salaries in licensing fees before your time's up.
billybob 17y ago
I know another great suite of tools you can get for free. It's commonly known as LAMP. Or Ruby/Rails, or Python/Django...
- thismat 17y ago
  I use Ruby/Rails, LAMP, haven't tried Django yet but I already have a project planned out for it. In my limited experience, I find nothing is quite as nice as VS for a development environment. I enjoy the other frameworks just as much, but there is a huge gap in usability and ease of starting between the two.

16 points by andrewdavey 17y ago

In case someone pops in without looking at the site, it's basically a way for small web design companies to get the MS Platform for free.

reedlaw 17y ago
What exactly is the MS Platform? Is this web hosting using Windows Servers, or free software to develop websites?
- steverb 17y ago
  From the program guide: Technology offering: The WebsiteSpark technology offering for participating Web professional companies currently includes: - For design, development, testing and demonstration of new websites--for a total of up to three users per Web design and development company: * Visual Studio Professional * Expression Studio 2 or 3 (1 user) and Expression Web 2 or 3 (up to 2 users) * Windows Web Server 2008 or R2 (when available) * SQL Server 2008 Web Edition - For production use: that is, to deploy and host new websites developed using Program software - using a total of up to four processors per Web design and development company, of the following (physical or virtual) dedicated servers: * Windows Web Server 2008 R2 (when available) * SQL Server 2008 Web Edition Deployments may be on 4 servers or VMs of 1processor each, on 2 servers or VMs of 2 processors each, or on 1 server or VM of 4-processors.
  - joubert 17y ago
    I wonder what SQL Server Web Edition is and how it is different from regular SQL Server - is it non-relational? And how is Windows Web Server different from regular Windows Server - can't you install Apache or IIS on any Windows?
    - thismat 17y ago
      To my knowledge the "web" editions (used them before, briefly) are just trimmed down fluff removed copies. They're built specifically for serving web content and don't have quite as many services and features installed as you would expect from a server meant to be say, an AD domain. I may be slightly off here, but this was my understanding of it.
- deleted 17y ago
  [deleted]

fname 17y ago

That's great and all, but if you decide to keep the Microsoft platform as your business grows, there's no direct upgrade path from their web editions. Format and reload with Standard/Enterprise.

thismat 17y ago
For web development, why do you need more? What are the limitations? Also, have you run into this before? I would imagine they would offer straight upgrades or "unlocking" of the web editions to upgrade, is this not the case?
- fname 17y ago
  I won't argue that it's perfect for Web Development. However, from the offer, it seems to point at having the free software host (in production) your website. If your business grows where you need additional products or services that expand beyond this offer, you must upgrade if you decide to stick within the Microsoft framework. There is no "unlock" functionality to go from Web Edition to anything else -- you must format and reload. It's one of the features to help upsell customers to purchase Standard/Enterprise from the beginning.
  - thismat 17y ago
    Ah, that kind of stinks about the unlocking function not being there. Only thing I can think of is that if your business is growing so you need upgrades, at least your business is growing? haha. I can definitely see why this could be a potential bottle neck, but for freelancers and side-businesses it probably won't be as much of an issue.

ilyak 17y ago

I thought it's a microsoft service to park domains.

RyanMcGreal 17y ago

"Learn More" loads a PDF. Yech.

thenduks 17y ago

Way too little. Way too late. I fail to see how this could be of interest to anyone, certainly not to anyone not already on the Microsoft stack.

thismat 17y ago
Because the .NET framework actually is a nice development environment? Especially with MVC? I'm interested in it, as I am forced to use VB @ work (no, I don't like VB, I'd much rather use C# on the .NET platform, and I do when I do personal dev with .NET) and honestly, I have yet to find a development environment quite as nice as what VS offers. I think it offers a great way for developers who work as cogs to enhance their sidebusiness and cut their costs, I do a lot of work on multiple platforms, but I've considered signing up and pushing some clients towards .NET because it's a rich development environment and now actually cheap enough to do small sites with on the side.
- steveklabnik 17y ago
  But the web allows you one of the greatest chances to break away from the whole Microsoft lock-in! I mean, if you use the MS stack to develop your main applications, but you need them to consume some kinds of service, that's a great place to write the service in something else. And it's not just zealotry. My startup uses all Free software (except for one copy of quickbooks, damn accountants...) because it's, well, always going to be free as in beer. If I had to compare this, I'd take a look at how as my business grows, I'd need to roll out a bunch of cash, whereas I wouldn't with LAMP. That's a pretty big downside.
- thenduks 17y ago
  You fall into the category of people already on the Microsoft stack then, don't you? I got the impression from this whole thing (and Microsoft's recent behavior in general) is that they're trying to entice the non-Microsoft people over to their stack... And I (personally) think this is a weak offering, especially considering how happy I am with my current workflow and tools.
  - 17y ago

unalone 17y ago

Why is it that every other company on the planet can name things without them sounding lame and corporate? Microsoft has this bizarre design deficiency that I've never heard properly explained. Good design is not as hard as they make it seem.

viggity 17y ago
I think BizSpark (for product businesses) and DreamSpark (for students), are both great names. WebsiteSpark sounds lame, I think WebSpark would be a much better name, but I'd guess someone is already operating under that name
- unalone 17y ago
  _Spark sounds too Orwellian for my tastes, I guess. Like, Spark is such a weird-sounding addon descriptor that I automatically assume it's being attached to something low-quality.

rick888 17y ago

the bizspark program is much better. Rather than getting just free web software, you get pretty much all microsoft software for free for 3 years.

abyssknight 17y ago
As far as I know this doesn't cover the server side software. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. :) Edit: Wow, I was wrong. It covers SaaS production software.
thismat 17y ago
The bizspark program is definitely nice, but for people like me who do freelance work for other people on the side it's not a viable solution, I recall a limited number of years in business, and something along the lines of being a startup, not a freelancer. This however might make it possible for me to venture out into new territory, easier.
cheriot 17y ago
Isn't bizspark setting a pretty big deadline? Free for three years, but hope you can pay multiple salaries in licensing fees before your time's up.

billybob 17y ago

I know another great suite of tools you can get for free. It's commonly known as LAMP. Or Ruby/Rails, or Python/Django...

thismat 17y ago
I use Ruby/Rails, LAMP, haven't tried Django yet but I already have a project planned out for it. In my limited experience, I find nothing is quite as nice as VS for a development environment. I enjoy the other frameworks just as much, but there is a huge gap in usability and ease of starting between the two.