Microsoft Software for students. How to download the software and some FAQ.

UW Oshkosh students registered for at least one Computer Science class are eligible to participate in our Microsoft Developers Network: Academic Alliance software program.  Many Microsoft software packages related to Computer Science and Software Engineering are available as a free download.  You can also order a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM from the computer science club for a very reasonable price.

If you have questions, please refer to the FAQ section below.  If your question is not answered there and you are taking a Computer Science course, please send your request to Professor Erik Krohn, the Computer Science MSDN administrator.

For MIS students, please send your requests to Professor Jakob Iversen, the MSDN MIS administrator.

The Process:

1. Go to the UWO CS login page.
2. Click the "Sign In" link near the top of the screen.  Enter your login information.  You should note that this is not the same username and password as your UW-Oshkosh username and password.  Your username is your full UW-Oshkosh e-mail address.  See the FAQ below if you do not know or have forgotten your password.
3. Click on the software you wish to download.
4. Choose the download that best fits your needs and click on the "Add to Cart" link.  You should not choose the "Mail Order" option.  Please read the section below if you would like a hard copy made by the CS Club.
5. If you wish to continue shopping, click on the "Continue Shopping" link to keep searching for more software and go back to step 3.  If you are ready to download, click on the "Check Out" button.
6. Read the DreamSpark EULA and click "I Accept" assuming you accept the terms.  If there are any messages, please read those and click continue.
7. Fill out the Order Information section if it is not already filled in for you.  Then click on "Proceed With Order."
8. Once you are on the Receipt page, be sure to write down your Product Key if there is one.  Click on the "Start Download" link.  There is a pop-up that comes so if you have a pop-up blocker installed, you may need to disable it temporarily.  Click on the software link and again a new pop-up will show up.  Read the download instructions and download your software.

Have the CS Club make you a copy:

Many of the software titles available on the MSDN website are in ISO format.  Windows does not have a default program for creating CD's from ISO files so this makes step 7 difficult.  Instead of going through the hassle of burning your own copy, you can have the Computer Science Club create a copy for you.  The cost of each CD or DVD is $5.  Contact Professor Krohn if you are interested.

FAQ:

1. I don't know my username or password, what is it? Your username is your full uwosh.edu e-mail account.  The password is not the same as your e-mail/titanfiles password.  If you do not know or do not remember your password, click on the following link: 
   https://e5.onthehub.com/WebStore/Security/ForgotPassword.aspx?ws=7683edbe-b1d5-e011-ae14-f04da23e67f6&vsro=8&un=
   Type in your uwosh.edu e-mail address and you will be sent a new password.
2. Why did my access to this free software expire? Access to the software is only available when you are taking a computer science course.  Access to the software ends at the end of each semester.  Because of this, you should write down your produce keys before the semester ends.
3. What is an ISO image? An ISO image is an archived file.  It is similar to a zip file.  One difference is that a zipped file is generally compressed whereas an ISO file is not.  There are many ways to use an ISO image depending on what your needs are: mounting the image, burning the image to a CD/DVD or copying the image to a USB drive.  You should do an online search for "iso image" or "burn iso image" for instructions on how to use an ISO image.  If you are having trouble getting the ISO to work or simply do not want to spend the time worrying about it, see the note above about having the CS club make you a copy for $5.
4. I'm still a student who took a CS course in the past but I am no longer taking a CS course, can I still access the software? No.  However, if you are a student, there is a very cheap alternative to accessing most of the software.  You can join the ACM for $19/year.  By joining the ACM, you have access to the MSDNAA software.  You can view all of the software available through the ACM's MSDNAA site here.

Partial List of Software Titles Available for Free Download

Below is a partial list of software available on the MSDN website.  You have access to over 200 software titles.  The highlighted software titles are the ones downloaded most often.

.NET Framework 1.1 SDK
Access 2007
Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
Exchange Server 2007 Enterprise Edition
Expression Blend/Design/Encoder/Media/Studio/Web
MapPoint 2010
MSDN Library for Visual Studio 2008
MS-DOS 6.22
Office Frontpage 2003
Office Groove 2007
Office Project Server 2007
Office Sharepoint Server 2007 Enterprise
OneNote 2007/2010
Project Professional 2010
Project Server 2003
SharePoint Designer 2010
SQL Server Developer Edition 2005/2008
Streets & Trips 2010
Virtual PC 2007
Visio Professional 2010
Visual (Basic/C#/C++/J#) 2005 Express Edition
Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition
Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition
Visual Studio 2010 Express/Premium/Professional Edition
Windows 7 Professional Edition
Windows Server 2003/2008
Windows Vista Business Edition
Windows Vista Enterprise Edition
Windows XP Professional with SP3
XNA Game Studio