According to the following Microsoft web page, you can get a complimentary VS 2005 Standard Edition by attending “labcasts.”  You’ll have to go to the web page and read the rules, etc.  I thought I’d pass this along, since I stumbled across it tonight.

The Mouse is Mightier than the Sword

Defy All Challenges With Microsoft Visual Basic 2005 — Microsoft Labcasts Show You How

A Hands-On Experience

Interested in leveraging your existing development skills to become more versatile and productive? Attend our new Visual Basic 2005 Labcast Series. Experience for yourself how to turn Microsoft Visual Basic 2005 into a mighty weapon against your development challenges.

The Visual Basic 2005 Labcasts make it easy for you to evaluate Visual Basic 2005 in a convenient and virtual environment. Get in-depth training and one-on-one real-time assistance from Visual Basic experts. Select from six informative labcasts and find out how to develop creative and modern breakthrough applications by combining the power of Visual Basic 6.0 with Visual Basic 2005.

Learn how to

• Modernize and simplify installation of Visual Basic 6.0 applications
• Add new data-bound forms to Visual Basic 6.0 applications
• Introduce simple background threading to Visual Basic 6.0 applications
• View and edit SQL Server™ data
• Create data-centric Web applications with your Visual Basic desktop development skill
• Keep Microsoft Word documents in sync with your database

For a limited time, when you attend two Visual Basic 2005 Labcasts and submit the evaluation form for each session, you will be eligible for a complimentary* copy of Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition.

tags: visual studio