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Chemistry IT signed up, at no cost, for a Microsoft DreamSpark |
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Premium subscription to benefit Chemistry Department educators, researchers, and |
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graduate students |
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in October 2013. One benefit, for example, |
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is that Chemistry Department graduate students can now get |
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a copy of the current version of Windows ($40-200) on their personal laptops, for free (one licensed copy per OS level). As well as other Microsoft software. |
Summary of Chemistry Department's DreamSpark
The Chemistry Department's Imagine (was DreamSpark) (MSDNAA) portal is available to faculty, instructors, and Chemistry Department grad students. We used to do enrollment in Imagine by re-loadeding in September of each year (by Chemistry IT), removing all those not in that new load. Value of doing so seems low so haven't done since ~2016.
- Log into the Dreamspark portal. Alternative longer link provided in case the first, shorter one stops working:
- Current expiration date, as of Dec. 2016: Expires: 2019-08-31.
QuickStart (1-2-3)
(1) Know the license limitations
Please understand the limitations of the program, detailed below. For example, Microsoft states:
- "The tools and technologies provided through the DreamSpark Premium subscription may only be used for academic instruction, academic projects, and non-commercial research."
- Also, users report that only one copy of an OS level is allowed since only one key is issued. For example, a single key is given for Win7 32-bit and 64-bit, so only one may be installed with that key. Win8 is a different key, however.
- When using their service, they require you to accept the following agreement (as of 6/23/2017):
- By signing up for the Microsoft Imagine program, you are agreeing that Microsoft and its family of companies may send you program emails and a monthly student newsletter (if available) with information about Microsoft Imagine including software, services, contests and resources available to students at no cost through the Microsoft Imagine program.(...)
(2) Understand the installation process
Here’s our best guess on how the installation mechanics will work:
- If it's a personal computer, work directly using Microsoft's site to get a key and download the software. Then, install the software.
- If it's a Chemistry (Cornell) computer, work directly using Microsoft's site to get a key and download the software. Contact <chemit@cornell.edu> or your IT rep to install the software.
(3) Download the software, or get enabled to do so
Download the desired software, and obtain related support, from Microsoft DreamSpark's service web site:
Direct link to the WebStore:
NOTE: If you are not registered with the Chemistry Department (you arrived between when Chemistry IT uploads Chemistry Department researcher's NetIDs to Microsoft), you will need to have your NetID entered into the system.
Help/support link:
Since this is a new program for all of us, please let us know at <chemit@cornell.edu> if you have suggestions on how we can improve administering the program. Thank you!
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Table of Contents, for this page
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Benefits of the Microsoft DreamSpark Premium subscription to CCB
- Any graduate student can get any version of Windows ($40-200) on their personal laptops, for free. Thus saving $40-200. They don't have to delete the software when they leave, since license is "Perpetual Rights". But they must get the software before they leave!
- Research lab researchers get access to expensive Microsoft programming software for free.
- Ex. Visual Studio Pro 2012, $500 list (no academic pricing available).
- One Note is made available for researchers, educators, and grad students.
- Free access to Visio (drawing tools) and MS Project, if used for eligible (STEM) education and research.
- Provides ChemIT staff (CCB representatives) 4 Technical Support Incidents and Priority Support in MSDN (MS Developer Network) Forums.
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Who in CCB is enrolled in the program?
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Faculty, Grads, and select staff, per lists provided to ChemIT from the CCB Admin Office and the CCB Grad Office:
- CCB enrollment list for DreamSpark
- Contact ChemIT <chemit> if you find any errors with this list. Thank you.
- Once a year (when?), this list will get updated, at which point ChemIT intends to again send .
- When that happens, ChemIT will consider sending out a notice of this program.
Limitations on software's use, per Microsoft
DreamSpark Premium Usage Guidelines
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- "The tools and technologies provided through the DreamSpark Premium subscription may only be used for academic instruction, academic projects, and non-commercial research".
To resolve licensing ambiguities, you are welcome to review some highlighted portions of the guidelines, along with Oliver's interpretation.
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT - MICROSOFT DREAMSPARK PREMIUM
https://www.dreamspark.com/Institution/DSP-EULA.aspx
What individuals must know
Who can use this software license, and for what contexts:
Support
Need help or support? Please go to:
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Examples:
Q: Can professional support staff for departmental labs check out software?
A: Yes. Any professional support staff whose primary responsibility is to maintain departmental labs are eligible to install DreamSpark software onto their personal computers for non-commercial use. The license amendment defines "Staff" as "any personnel duly engaged by the qualified educational user to teach or instruct students and/or to conduct non-commercial research or other development-related activities on behalf of the qualified educational user."
Q: If students get software through the DreamSpark program, do they have unlimited usage of the software?
A:Students may enjoy unlimited usage of software for the purpose of furthering their learning and research efforts. The software is not to be used to run a business or for ventures that drive commercial profit. However, DreamSpark has partnered with the Microsoft App Store teams to enable students to create games and applications with the Windows Phone, and Windows 8 Developer kits. This is the one exception where a student is allowed to use the software available on DreamSpark for a money-making enterprise. To learn more, visit the Windows Phone App Development, the Windows 8 App Development and the Xbox Indie Games Development pages accessible from the App Development menu on the navigation bar of the Student Overview page.
DreamSpark Premium Usage Guidelines
Oliver's summary: Determine first if use qualifies. Then determine if person or computer qualifies. In too many instances, person or equipment might qualify, but "The tools and technologies provided through the DreamSpark Premium subscription may only be used for academic instruction, academic projects, and non-commercial research". For example, that clause limits the license drastically for CCB staff's work or personal computers.
Oliver's take on specific guidelines presented:
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Acceptable
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Unacceptable
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Oliver's thoughts
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Students who are currently enrolled in at least one course in the member department may install the software on their personal computers.
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Students who are in a member department but are not currently enrolled in courses that lead to credit or a certificate are not eligible to obtain DreamSpark Premium software for their personal computers.
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All CCB graduate students would be eligible (are qualified), so could install software on their own personal computers. (But not allowed to install the software on computers of their family members!)
Rational: All CCB graduate students are working towards a STEM degree. All are enrolled in a STEM class, even it it's "just" CCB's thesis class.
Since license is "Perpetual Rights", student won't have to remove software when their relationship with CCB changes.
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The tools and technologies provided through the DreamSpark Premium subscription may only be used for academic instruction, academic projects, and non-commercial research.
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The software that is part of the membership may not be used for any IT infrastructure or administration purposes at the DreamSpark Premium member's school, university, foundation, or organization.
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All CCB research lab systems are eligible to use software licensed under this program.
Rational:All CCB research labs are engage in "academic projects", and of course also used for "academic instruction" and "non-commercial research".
Even if software is nominally allowed to be installed (under other guidelines listed in the FAQ), it can't technically be used unless it meets THIS guideline's criteria.
So, even if person or machine otherwise qualifies, if software would not be used for permitted use, can't install/ use the software.
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Department, Faculty or Staff members who are directly involved with teaching or system administration related to DreamSpark Premium may install the software on their personal computer.
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Department, Faculty, or Staff members who are not directly involved with teaching or system administration related to DreamSpark Premium may not install the software on their personal computers.
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Who vets if specific staff member qualifies as "directly involved with teaching or system administration related to DreamSpark Premium"?
CCB staff would benefit from guidelines/ rules.
If allowed, might represent a nice benefit to working in CCB. :-) For example, if someone qualifies, they can get any version of Windows for use on their personal, home computers for free, along with other software. But not all licensed software would be used for "academic instruction, academic projects, and non-commercial research". See previous guideline.
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Member departments may install DreamSpark Premium software on all machines owned by their department.
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(....) Organizations and Departments that provide software to faculty and students should not install DreamSpark Premium software on shared machines unless they feel that they can enforce the License.
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Program eligibility questions? Start by contacting:
- ChemIT <chemit@cornell.edu>.
See also
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The program administrator must authorize any access to the MSDN Subscribers Area or the ELMS download portal to other faculty members within the department. Only qualified students, faculty and administrators may have access to DreamSpark Premium product keys.
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The program administrator (PA) may not allow any other faculty members or students to place orders for additional product keys via the Subscribers Area of the MSDN Web site. DreamSpark Premium product keys may not be sold, distributed, traded or given to anyone outside the qualified department or organization.
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