http://blogs.msdn.com/stevecla01/archive/2007/03/22/microsoft-s-challenge.aspxit's certainly one of them but is the challenge of a new generation using free software any different from the challenge of massive pirating of software in some regions? they're a dissertation subject for you.... Perhaps we just need to read Mike whoen-GBCommunityServer 2.1 SP1 (Build: 61025.2)http://blogs.msdn.com/stevecla01/archive/2007/03/22/microsoft-s-challenge.aspx#1930451Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:00:38 GMT91d46819-8472-40ad-a661-2c78acb4018c:1930451Will<p>I looked at it a little differently.</p> <p>Most PCs come with some basic office software, which covers most basic student word processing needs. &nbsp;For email it's hard to go past any of the major online free email services - Microsoft, Google, Yahoo. &nbsp;Instant Messaging and other social networking stuff is free too, from the same providers and more. As is video and photo sharing. </p> <p>Student developers can get the Express Editions of the Visual Studio line and learn the major MS-supported languages, and SQL Server Express for any relational database stuff. </p> <p>So -- it's a shrinking number of things where you need to buy software for entry-level basic usage. It's typically either an online service, or a free download. </p> http://blogs.msdn.com/stevecla01/archive/2007/03/22/microsoft-s-challenge.aspx#1948397Sun, 25 Mar 2007 23:54:50 GMT91d46819-8472-40ad-a661-2c78acb4018c:1948397stevecla01<p>Will - that's an interesting way to look at it - more the notion of packaged s/w going away and to some extend your role (e.g. a student) changing the software you need. thanks for that...</p>