Free licences for VS.NET, SQL Server etc. for Entrepreneurs

After BizSpark launch around a year ago, Microsoft has came up with another exciting solution for entrepreneurial ventures, they call it ‘WebsiteSpark’.

WebsiteSpark is designed for independent web developers and web development companies that build web applications and web sites on behalf of others.  It enables you to get software, support and business resources from Microsoft at no cost for three years, and enables you to expand your business and build great web solutions using ASP.NET, Silverlight, SharePoint and PHP, and the open source applications built on top of them.

Not indulging into the debate on actual goal of Microsoft behind these kind of  offers and this sudden generosity drive, these are really good news for new ISVs, small development units particularly in developing world. More details here and here.

Social Responsibility of Entrepreneurs

2,180,000 search results for ‘entrepreneurship blog’! and how many of them directed towards bringing a positive change to society through entrepreneurial venture?? I am sure only a handful, while rest of all discusses how-to-write-business-plan, how-tos of marketing and other stuff, only few authors encourage brave entrepreneurs who dare to leave their day-time job to create new opportunities for themselves, to not forget society behind. Remember your personal goals and aims (of buying new Aston-Martin, for example ), but don’t forget crisis and problems your society and whole globe, in general is facing (energy crisis, surging food prices, rocket high oil budget etc.). Lets write about, discuss, and encourage entrepreneurs who target these problems and find solutions not only for themselves but for all society and world in general.

An excellent article by Umair is inspiration for this blog entry.