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Visual Studio Online Basic License Changeup
Licensing changes affects user acceptance testing and Agile Planning. Also: Work for the Visual Studio Online, Team Foundation Server teams.
As is the nature of cloud computing, changes continue to float into the Microsoft developer purview with a regular frequency, and that's the case with Visual Studio Online. The changes aren't earth-shattering, but worthwhile, nonetheless, as it means developers with the Visual Basic Online license can do more without trying.
Specifically, those with the Visual Basic Online license can now perform user acceptance testing, some features of Agile planning, and participate in Team Rooms. That's according to a blog from Microsoft's Brian Harry. Those capabilities were only available with a Visual Studio Online Advanced license.
To be clear, Visual Studio Online Basic allows a developer "to execute tests, report results, file bugs," but will still need an Advanced license to create and manage test plans. Harry also said that moving the "hierarchical backlog management and work item charting" means a consolidation of all project management features to the Basic license. And, finally, a collaboration feature in Team Foundation Server called Team Rooms is now included in the Basic license. (For more on Team Rooms, check out this video on the Channel9 site.)
These changes will be finalized before the month ends, and similar features in Team Foundation Server 2015 will be reflected in that version when it's released later this year.
In a separate blog, Harry also said that the team has some positions open on its Visual Studio Online and Team Foundation Server teams, which you can find out more about at visualstudio.com (first test: finding the right link to apply). "This is a bit of an experiment," he writes. "If it works well, we will probably expand it to include other parts of Visual Studio."
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