[ros-dev] Getting a Windows Server 2003 license for the project?

[Colin Finck]

Hi everybody,

I've been thinking about getting a license of an English Windows Server 
2003 Standard 32-Bit for the project.

It could be installed on one of our servers and be made available over 
RDP. This would enable project members to do development and testing 
work on our actual target platform. Considering that some developers 
even use a non-Windows platform for development work, it might simplify 
their work as well.

We may as well use the license for other purposes (Buildslave, 
Testslave, whatever), but at least native building could be done by any 
Windows version. And in this case, I might be able to donate an XP Pro 
license myself (German though).

As I don't know about the needs of the other members, I'd like to hear 
your opinion about my idea. It would also be nice to hear if anybody 
knows a cheap (but legal!) way to get such a license or can even donate 
one (e.g. unused OEM license shipped with a server, unused license after 
getting Server 2008, etc.)
English Windows licenses are rare/expensive on German eBay, so this 
would only be a last resort :-)

Cheers,

Colin


P.S.: If you have the opposite problem and actually need a Linux VM 
available over SSH/RDP (e.g. for testing build system changes), just let 
me know and I could set it up.