Microsoft Retiring Software Assurance Employee Purchase Program

[gimp]

Figured this was the best place to put this.
Just got an email forwarded to me about this.
If your company currently provides this, you only have until November to get the MS products cheap!
I don't know if the Home Use Program is also being affected, as I believe it is part of the EPP, but it's all confusing to me.

Dear Software Assurance Customer,

Software Assurance Update on Employee Purchase Program Retirement
Microsoft will retire the Microsoft Software Assurance Employee Purchase Program (EPP) in November 2010.
EPP was first introduced in 2003, and its customer use has gradually declined. For all Software Assurance customers eligible for EPP, the number of individual product licenses purchased on average by organizations is less than one. In addition, the vast majority of product licenses purchased are for Microsoft® Office, making up 90 percent of the EPP orders today.
During the same timeframe the Home Use Program (HUP) for Microsoft Office has provided millions of organizations' employees with Office at home via a convenient download service, providing Microsoft Office at cost recovery at around $10 per employee (local currency pricing varies). We believe this offers your employees an easier and more affordable program for using Microsoft Office at home.

Retirement Steps
EPP will continue to be available between now and November 2010, with the current range of products and the Windows® 7 operating system. From April 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010 the Windows 7 operating system products in EPP will be available at a 10% reduced rate of standard EPP pricing, as a one-time offer. Starting in June 2010, the Home Use Program will upgrade to include the latest version of Office - Office 2010 Professional Plus, while Office 2007 SKUs will remain available through EPP.

Recommended Steps
If your organization actively uses EPP, we recommend that you notify your employees so that they can use EPP as needed before November 2010. We also recommend you evaluate using the Home Use Program for providing Microsoft Office to your employees. You can find further details on the HUP site at http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/software-assurance/home-use-program.aspx .If you have any questions about EPP retirement or using HUP, please contact your Microsoft representative.

Sincerely,
Microsoft Software Assurance Team