What $1495 gets you, but Microsoft wants you to stay mum on bugs!

Oh, I couldn't resist this... I think this is called sweetening the pot and then getting trapped because you cannot tell anyone where the pot is!

MS has rolled out its Faustian bargain for security vendors. Sign up with the Microsoft Certified Security Partner Program and saddle up with a heap of free software and deep discounts worth many thousands of dollars.

Some of the software you get for your hard earned money :-

Up to twenty licenses for Windows XP Pro

SQL Server 2000 Enterprise server and Cal's

Exchange 2000 Enterprise Server and Cal's

Windows 2000 Advanced Server

etc....

But wait for it.... there's more...

Windows XP -- buy one get one free for a maximum of ten

Visual Studio.NET -- buy one get one free for a maximum of five

and a whole bunch more for Visio 2000 Pro, Project 2000 Pro, and Sharepoint Portal Server...

On top of that, you'll get "the program plaque (ah, now that's what I wanted all along... Ed.), the Identity Kit, which contains Microsoft Certified Partner Logo materials and Logo Guidelines, and technical, sales and marketing materials."

And what will this cost, you ask? Why, a mere $1450.00 per year. Quite a bargain. All you have to do is keep silent about any Microsoft security bugs you might discover, until Redmond authorizes you to speak.

Oh, and you have to employ at least two exclusive Microsoft Certified Professionals, such as MCSEs.

News source and read more @ The Register