Microsoft - Bizspark

Microsoft offers its software development applications as freebies to start-ups..Now this is wat I would call Social entrepreneurship!

Microsoft and social-entrepreneurship ??!!??
ahem, ahem - I can understand, this could sound like a joke (albeit the Melinda Gates foundation) But I am not kidding, indeed - MS has rolled out bizspark. In a gist, bizspark is a program exclusively aimed at startups.
Via Bizspark MS opens up its application arsenal (pretty much every other application in the market) for free usage.

Courtesy my very few friends who run/started up software concerns, I can empathize better the challenges they face. Yes,it becomes increasingly difficult on the balance sheet of a company at its start-up stage, if it were to be expected to invest on its softwares too. Even though, there are a huge list of open-sources available for free download/install, this offer from Microsoft will still be considered a irresistible, great opportunity/gift for budding/future entrepreneurs especially considering the Indian inclination towards MS products.
I am getting to witness MS doing this offlate... This is a good, refreshing and encouraging sign.

Intricacies now...
WATCH OUT FOR THE CLAUSES:
The company needs to be a startup with less than three years in business, it must be less than 1 million usd in annual revenue, it must be privately owned.
HERE'S THE CATCH
Supposedly, You get to use applications for 3 years time (I believe)
THE BUSINESS INTENT BEHIND THIS IS
obviously 3 fold,
1. Curtain Sun Microsystems from being the option of choice.
2. Expand .Net framework already impressive footmark across businesses
3. That if an application developed, will have to continue to use the application that it was developed with. So on the longer run MS will benefit.

If yu intend to sign up here's the program guide http://tiny.cc/ean6s

On the hind sight, I see Bizspark to reduce the unauthorized software usage (thats a rarity though). With so many said and done - Who knows, tomorrow we may get to hear/read about another world class organisation which had its roots traced back to a garage ;-) plus a near nullified investment on software (courtesy: Microsoft Bizspark)

DISCLAIMER ;-)
I seek no monetary benefits out of it. I just stumbled upon(Did I use that word. Ah! I am so addicted to stumble upon) MS website and found this. Thought, it ll be useful, if I share it. Now, If I by any chance stated information that weren't true. I apologize. That's not intended. Better refer MS for anything n everything on Bizspark.