MSDN, Expression Studio 4 Premium, & SketchFlow [closed]

Question

Through work I have an Visual Studio Premium with MSDN subscription that I love. However, my biggest disappointment of the last 12 months was discovering that our 2nd from the top level subscription was not enough to get me Sketchflow!

This is, most decidedly, NOT SHINY, and I am borderline distraught! What are my options? Upgrading to an Ultimate subscription for Sketchflow is out of the question. Am I forced, then, to stay with Blend 3 or Purchase Blend 4 seperately?

If this is not a question I should ask here please inform and I'll delete. I just tend to default to SO for all questions that Google can't answer and Google did not answer this one.

Meissner

Answer 1

We think too that is a very bad move from Microsoft. we hope that Microsoft will listen to customers and change this.

Puling

Answer 2

Related to SQLMenace's response -- You can only upgrade for $350 if you previously purchased Blend 3 at retail. If you spent thousands on MSDN Premium and got used to using Sketchflow with Blend 3, you don't have that option.

To the OP... You've been bait-and-switched. Your options are to purchase the full Expression Ultimate 4 ($600 USD at retail) or upgrade your MSDN license to Ultimate (for thousands more). Or stick with Blend 3 and not get the v4 features for working with the latest versions of Silverlight and WPF.

None of those options are great. I'm hoping the people in MSFT DevDiv who'd like to see Sketchflow get adopted have more clout than the marketing genius who thought this tiered approach would drive retail sales and/or MSDN Ultimate upgrades.

Vasileior

Thanks, I think....That is what I feared and is a complete "bush league" maneuver. It's not like we are only on a bizspark subscription. We are a 'non-profit' on the second to highest one. – Meissner

Talk about a bait-and-switch! I was just getting to love Sketchflow v3 when I found that v4 wasn't part of my MSDN subscription. Argh! – Boathouse

Answer 3

So do we wait for Microsoft to bow under the pressure of common sense or fork out the cash? Does anyone here have the power to speak to a product head at MS?

Eufemiaeugen

Answer 4

If your Expression Studio 3 is a retail version (i.e. not from MSDN subscription) you can upgrade to version 4 for absolutely nothing - read the How To Upgrade text on this page. It's not blindingly obvious that you can upgrade for free given the upgrade option available for a fairly large fee. But there you go, it can be free. By the way, I've done it, so I know it works.

Lapse

@Thanks, unfortunately I am a MSDN subscriber, hence the question title ;) but good to know. – Meissner

Answer 5

Posted at MS Site:

I too am irritated by this. I'm a single programmer, no big company backing me up. I invested A LOT of money in MSDN Premium and I'm annoyed to no end that you took out this tool.

I have played with this tool in the past, and left it aside - too complex for me. Now I have gained a new passion for prototyping. After a day of research I decided to give Sketchflow a new chance. I've located a book (for the benefit of others: Dynamic Prototyping with SketchFlow in Expression Blend: Sketch Your Ideas...And Bring Them to Life! but be sure to obatin the corrected source from www.dynamic-prototyping.com ), tried to run a sample and presto - no Sketchflow.

So no worry: I've identified other tools in my research today (see http://imar.spaanjaars.com/545/sketch-and-prototype-tools-review-part-6-and-the-winner-is written by an MVP author). I'll start using the much cheaper, simpler, higher-praised (!-) Balsamiq Mockup. When you come to your senses and decide to become friends with your developers once more, please give me a call.

Kristopher

Answer 6

I looked I could get sketchflow with my WebSpark Account, but I only get the Web-Edition of Blend :-/

Clary

Answer 7

You can upgrade for about $350...which is way cheaper than MSDN

http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/Upgrade.aspx

Sarilda

It states at that site, though, that If you purchased Expression 3 from a store you can upgrade. Is that referring to any upgrade or the Free Upgrade? I might be able to sell my boss on $350...maybe... – Meissner

Answer 8

The Expression team, according to Tim Heuer's blog, may offer an upgrade for $250 to the Premium subscribers.

Dramatic

"may"? I'll have to go check that out and bring a link back but that'd be pretty nice of them. – Meissner

Not to "Premium subscribers" who are getting MSDN (as the OP mentioned) -- that upgrade is for people who purchased Visual Studio Premium at retail. It doesn't do MSDN Premium subscribers any good. Here's the quote: "Customers who purchased Visual Studio Premium from a retailer will receive an offer to purchase Expression Ultimate at a special price of $249.95 within the next few weeks." – Vasileior

Answer 9

The upgrade is being offered to Visual Studio 2010 with MSDN Premium subscribers for $249.95. There are similar deals being put into place for MSDN partners and for companies who purchased Visual Studio Premium through volume licensing.

Killiecrankie

Harris: Any chance you have a link to said offer? That'd be great but I haven't found any such deal, as yet. – Meissner

I'd also appreciate a link... this is the first I've heard of an upgrade being offered to MSDN Premium subscribers. Even if it were available, it's still a petty move -- we pay thousands a year for the Premium subscription and are gonna get nickel-and-dimed for $250 to get Sketchflow? That's JV. – Vasileior

Yes; this is empty rhetoric without a link to a "buy now" button. – Goda