在 Channel 8 上，Bill Gates 宣布一个为学生提供免费软件的项目：DreamSpark：

"DreamSpark is simple, it's all about giving students Microsoft professional-level developer and design tools at no charge so you can chase your dreams and create the next big breakthrough in technology - or just get a head start on your career."

以下是微软免费提供的软件列表：

- Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition
- Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition
- XNA Game Studio 2.0
- XNA Creators Club 12个月的免费会员期
- Expression Studio (Expression Web, Expression Blend, Expression Design 和 Expression Media)
- SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition
- Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
- SQL Server Developer Edition
- Virtual PC 2007
- Visual Basic 2005
- Visual C++ 2005
- Visual C# 2005
- Visual J# 2005
- Visual Web Developer 2005

目前只对美国，英国，加拿大，中国，德国，法国，芬兰，西班牙，瑞典，瑞士和比利时的学生开放这个免费软件的计划。(via Livesino)