As you may have heard, we (CIT) belong to the Azure Dev Tools for Teaching program, through which you have access to Microsoft Software, and even an Azure credit! What this means is - YOU can legally download, install, and use at home  – MICROSOFT PRODUCTS!  Basically, anything deemed a “developer tool” is available for YOUR personal home use, including Windows client and server versions, Visual Studio, Expression Studio – even parts of Office (Access, Visio, Project, but NOT Word, Excel, or PowerPoint - get those from Office365 online).

Please note: you are NOT permitted to share, loan, sell, or make money by using, any of the products you get through our Imagine partnership.

Now -- here’s how you get FREE Microsoft software!

Login to the Azure Dev Tools for Teaching web portal:

  • Go here: https://aka.ms/devtoolsforteaching
  • Follow the directions on that page
  • Make sure to sign in using your @lethpolytech.ca email address!!
    ** Please note: The transition to lethpolytech.ca email addresses has been completed! You MAY be asked to verify your academic status - if you're presented with that, you WILL need to fill it out. If you can't see Lethbridge Polytechnic listed under schools, you can use Lethbridge College, still.

Once signed in, you'll be at the Education | Overview page (as shown here).
To download software, you can either:
 --> Expand Learning resources on the left, and click on Software (red circle, green arrows), OR
 --> Click Explore all under the Free software heading (green circle, red arrow)

Dowload software from MS Azure Dev Tools for Teaching

From there, if the software you wasn't isn't already easy to spot in the list in front of you, just use Search.

A few notes: The keys are generally always available to you from within the site; however, in the event that you might need your key(s) after you graduate from CIT, make sure to save a copy somewhere – once you leave our program, you’ll no longer have access to the site (but you CAN continue to use any software you "purchased"). And, it’s also a good idea to either burn the ISO right away, or keep a copy of it somewhere – for the same reason. Should you need an additional key for a product (maybe you have a desktop and a laptop?) Terry might be able to arrange that for you.

If you wish to burn anything in IB2111 or IB2131 (using Windows' built-in facilities), make sure the file(s) are on the C: drive, and not currently being downloaded (or on a USB flash drive). If it’s an archive (ZIP, ISO, etc.) file, unpack it (extract the files), and burn the resultant set of files to a disc.

Azure trial - IF you make use of the $100 in free Azure credits MS offers you, and you spin up a VM (or multiple VMs), please make sure to deprovision your VM(s) and cancel your subscription when you're done with the VM(s), and/or you run out of free/trial credits.

Microsoft Office IS also available for FREE - you just need to login to Office365 online at https://www.office.com/. For more info, you can also visit the Lethbridge Polytechnic IT Services Office 365 page.

Of course, if anyone has ANY issues, just see (or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) Terry.

Enjoy!