This is an update my previous blog post about the Microsoft Empower program. Here is the new link to the program:
https://empower-isv.one.microsoft.com/isv/programguide/Default.aspx
If you keep clicking the Next button, you'll get to the Benefits page which, among other things, lists the following benefit that you get for just $375:
| Development and Testing Licenses |
MSDN® Universal Subscription
(Licenses included in MSDN are for development and testing only) |
One (1) MSDN Universal license and four (4) user licenses. Up to five (5) partner staff members can use MSDN licenses for development and testing concurrently. |
Basically, they require that you build an application that supports one of the following platforms:
| *Microsoft Software |
**Software Tests |
| Microsoft® Windows® .NET Server 2003 |
Certified for Windows® .NET Server 2003
Designed for Windows® Server 2003 |
| Microsoft® Windows® XP |
Designed for Windows® XP Testing |
| Microsoft® Windows® 2000 |
Verified Compatible for Microsoft® Windows® 2000
Certified for Microsoft® Windows® 2000 |
-->
| Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 |
Certified for SQL Server™ 2000 |
| Microsoft® mobility platform (Microsoft® Windows® for Pocket PC, Microsoft® Windows® for Smartphone) |
Designed for Windows® for PocketPC
Designed for Windows® for Smartphone |
| Microsoft® Office |
Microsoft® Platform Test for ISV Solutions - OS component, Office Component
OR
Designed for Windows® and Office Component |
| Microsoft® .NET Web services |
Microsoft® Platform Test for ISV Solutions – OS component , Web service component
OR
Designed for Windows® and Web service component |
| Microsoft® .NET Framework |
Microsoft® Platform Test for ISV Solutions – OS component, Managed Code component
OR
Designed for Windows® and Managed Code component |
| Microsoft® Business Solutions |
Microsoft® Business Solutions Test for ISV Solutions-Great Plains;
Microsoft® Business Solutions Test for ISV Solutions-Navision;
Microsoft® Business Solutions Test for ISV Solutions-Axapta;
Microsoft® Business Solutions Test for ISV Solutions-Solomon |
| Microsoft® Small Business Accounting |
Microsoft® Small Business Accounting |
I've had a number of developers ask me about encountering the "Create Instance Failed" error messsage when instantiating an object at design time in conjunction with the Object Test Bench.
I was able to consistently reproduce this error by turning on Enable SQL Server debugging. If you are experiencing this problem, you can try the following to see if it "fixes" the problem:
- Right-click your project and select Properties from the shortcut menu.
- Under Debug, uncheck Enable SQL Server debugging if it's selected
You may also get this error if you are working in a Web project. If you disable the Web site from being compiled you can get past this error.
Best Regards,
Kevin McNeish
Microsoft .NET MVP
President, Oak Leaf Enterprises, Inc.
Web: http://www.oakleafsd.com