Rick LaPlante just announced that:
- A version of Team Foundation Server will be included with all role-based SKUs (no additional purchase)
- MSDN/U subscribers can upgrade to Team Suite for \$2300 and “Renewals continue at the promotional price for as long as you are an active subscriber.“
Once again proving: Larry speaks, Redmond trembles.
(Note to self: Write column on how XBox 360 should be bundled in MSDN Subscription)
Instant analysis: This is exactly the right move: they haven't lowered the price on new sales, they're rewarding existing MSDN/U subscribers, the exact “key influencers” hurt by the previous pricing, while hardly dinging their future sales profits. This is such the right move (Microsoft insults loyal customers, loyal customers scream, Microsoft changes behavior and rewards loyal customers, loyal customers feel all warm and glowy) that I'm sure the conspiracy theorists will say the whole thing was a ... what's the word or phrase? ... “feint” isn't quite it ...