In addition to Microsoft's big announcements, this PDC is a particularly special one for Pluralsight because today we announced a strategic shift in how we think about developer training.
Today we launched a new online service called Pluralsight On-Demand. Think of it as training in the Cloud.
Pluralsight On-Demand is a web-based subscription service providing developers access to hours of searchable and browse-able .NET developer training content. It's the same content you'd receive in one of our instructor-led courses, only you can hit pause whenever you want. This compelling model puts you in control of your training. With Pluralsight On-Demand, you get the in-depth training you need whenever you need it, from any computer with a Web browser. And you decide what topics are worthy of your valuable time.
The initial Pluralsight On-Demand library covers most of Microsoft’s core platform and server technologies including ASP.NET, Ajax, Silverlight, WPF, WCF, WF, BizTalk Server, R2, and LINQ, totaling more than 80 hours of recorded content, with much, much more in the production pipeline.
These courses have been recorded by the same renowned Pluralsight authors you already know and trust — influencers who have close relationships with the Microsoft product teams — and who understand the technology like almost no one else, which shines through our unique content.
We recently finished a four month early-adopter beta program where we vetted our content model, the online infrastructure, and overall customer experience before unveiling it to the public. We learned a lot during the process and feel really good about our initial offering. Here are some of my favorite quotes from our early adopter customers that illustrate some of its different characteristics:
Pluralsight On-Demand was like being in class with Fritz, only I could hit pause. It's hard not to learn from these guys!
I wasn't sure what to expect in the beginning but I must say you hit the mark for what is needed in the training world.
Your content definitely met my expectations for online training. I'm planning to suggest Pluralsight On-Demand to our training coordinator to start saving on travel and other expenses (given the current economic situation).I've spent about 20 hours on Pluralsight On-Demand and I plan to spend much more over the next few weeks.
Having been to Pluralsight training in the past, I expected a very high quality experience. I was not disappointed.
The content was at the right technical level. It has the same style and pace as in-class training, which is why I like it so much.
The pricing is simple: $1299 for a 1 year subscription to the full library, but we're offering a special introductory price of $999 for a limited time. This gives you full access to our entire library, including all updates and new releases, and you'll be able to renew each year for only $649.
When you take one of our instructor-led courses, you automatically receive a subscription the corresponding online course. And when you purchase an online subscription, you'll receive discounts on your future instructor-led courses. There is tremendous synergy and educational value in the combination of the instructor-led + on-demand models, and we believe that's the sweet spot moving forward. We also offer volume discounts to and site licenses to fit your corporate environments (contact us directly).
In addition to our complete course offerings, we're also committed to providing the community with a valuable repository of free video content. We just released a new Screencasts page, our central gathering place for this type of free content, which will be updated weekly with new videos.
We designed Pluralsight On-Demand to increase the value you get for each training dollar you spend. We've provided some free samples for your review. The first few clips within each module are accessible to anyone.
We hope you'll check it out today.