Microsoft TechRewards closing January 6, 2017
It originally started in 2012, known as DVLUP by Nokia. The purpose was a little extra something to reward developers. When Microsoft acquired Nokia the program name changed to TechRewards.
Recently Microsoft sent emails out informing developers that the TechRewards program will close on January 6, 2017. With Microsoft TechRewards closing on January 6, there are alternatives that Microsoft offers to developers to further hone their skills.
The email reads:
As a valuable member of Microsoft TechRewards, we are notifying you of an important change to the program. Microsoft TechRewards will close on January 6, 2017. The program aimed to help Developers and IT Professionals learn, experiment, and build projects with Microsoft technologies. We believe other Microsoft Programs more closely associated with products and services can best support users in their technical journey.
As of October 6, 2016 the program no longer rewards users with badges, experience, or points.
Effective October 6, 2016, all current Challenges have been completed and removed from the site. Points (PTS), Experience Points (XP), and Badges are no longer being awarded. As Microsoft TechRewards comes to a close, there are a few important actions Microsoft TechRewards users need to take:
- Redeem your Points in our Rewards Catalogue no later than January 6, 2017.
- Sign into your Microsoft TechRewards account.
- Navigate to the Rewards page located on the left hand side of the screen.
- Select the rewards you wish to redeem.
- Follow the on screen instructions to redeem your reward.
- Share Microsoft TechRewards badges you want to save to your social media profiles (Facebook or Twitter) no later than January 6, 2017.
- Sign into your Microsoft TechRewards account.
- Navigate to your profile by clicking the profile tab on the left hand side of the screen.
- Select Badges tab.
- Choose a badge to share and click the share button.
You can find additional information and answers to questions in the Microsoft TechRewards FAQ.
There are other Microsoft Programs where you can further hone your skills and deepen understanding of Microsoft Technologies:
- Channel 9 brings forward the people behind Microsoft Products and connects them with those who use them.
- Microsoft Virtual Academy provides free online IT, Developer, and Data Science training by world-class experts to help you build your skills and advance your career.
- Visual Studio Dev Essentials has everything you need to build and deploy your app on any platform.
- IT Pro Cloud Essentials is a free annual subscription which includes cloud services, education, and support benefits.
Thank you for your dedication, submissions, and feedback over the past few years!
Source: Microsoft
