WebsiteSpark stops accepting new applications for participation

This morning, as a participant in the WebSiteSpark program, I received a letter on the completion of this program. However, the news is far from sad, as it may seem at first glance ...

The content of the letter was as follows:

Thank you for participating in the WebsiteSpark program! Considering the changing needs of web developers, Microsoft has created new offers at no cost to help web developers continue to create rich interactive web applications. These resources are intended to assist in the design, development, publication, and deployment of websites.

Since Microsoft makes new resources available for free, WebsiteSpark will no longer accept new members. Developers who are already members of the program on March 11, 2013 can continue to use the products available to them under the terms of the Microsoft WebsiteSpark license for twelve months, until March 31, 2014.
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If you have any questions, please refer to the WebsiteSpark FAQ . You can also send an email to wsssup@microsoft.com.

Also in the letter was a number of links to useful resources for developers:

Design, development, deployment of the application

www.microsoft.com/web page that allows you to get products such as:

• Visual Studio Express 2012
• Visual Studio Team Foundation Server Express 2012
• SQL Server Express
• WebMatrix 2

Training

• Information for web developers and developers for the Windows Azure platform www.devcamps.ms
• Information on web development for Windows Azure channel9.msdn.com/Events/windowsazure/Learn-2012TechEd-EU/WebSites
• ASP.net for web developers www.asp.net

Windows Azure

• Placing up to 10 sites for free with Windows Azure www.windowsazure.com/en-us/develop/net/aspnet
• Windows Azure offer for WebSiteSpark participants www.windowsazure.com/en-us/pricing/member-offers/websitespark-benefits
• WebMatrix 2 and Windows Azure www.windowsazure.com/en-us/develop/downloads/webmatrix-overview

In addition, the WebSiteSpark program website also contains information about its completion:

Thank you for your participation in the WebsiteSpark program. Microsoft recently released a number of tools for web developers, including our Cloud Computing Platform, Windows Azure, which have several special offers available to WebsiteSpark members.
Since all free resources are now publicly available, Microsoft has decided to close the WebsiteSpark program. However, existing participants will have access to all current resources, including MSDN Windows Azure, until March 31, 2014. After that, access to the software and tools that make up WebsiteSpark will be terminated. We want to warn you about this so that you can coordinate your plans for the WebsiteSpark program in advance.

Indeed, in recent times a large number of development tools and resources have become available free of charge and even without the need to register in any programs. Therefore, this step seems quite reasonable - why support the program, if most of it is accessible through it and so openly.

And what about OS licenses and studio?

The only thing that bothers me personally is that I do not see any alternatives to the two proposals from WebSiteSpark, namely, Visual Studio in the Professional and Windows Server editions for deploying web projects.
I hope someone from representatives of the Microsoft company on Habré will provide the answer to this question.

Well, let's wait for the news!