Right, I've found that whoever makes websites at Microsoft is really terrible at it. It took them all day Friday to change the single line on the homepage from 100 random students to its current "You could also be one of the 5000 lucky students to win a copy of Halo® 3: ODST just for registering through March 15*". We had a meeting about it last week and all the MSPs double and triple checked because we were all in disbelief that Microsoft would just give away free copies of a game, but it is real.

On Tue, Mar 2, 2010 at 11:22 AM, Joe Winegarden < wino@alumni.duke.[redacted] > wrote:

I just signed up and it says this:

You're now entered for a chance to win a copy of Halo 3: ODST! 100 students will be randomly selected to win this week. You're also entered into the $10,000 Cash for Students sweepstakes where 1 lucky winner will win the cash prize just for registering with the world's premier student technology competition.

This doesn't seem to suggest that the first 5000 automatically get a copy, as you have suggested. Fair warning to others.

-Joe

On Tue, Mar 2, 2010 at 11:01 AM, Richard Carter < rwcarter@ncsu.[redacted] > wrote:

Hey all,

Okay, I know this is the LINUX mailing list, but I'm guessing some of you have Xbox 360s. And you might want a free copy of Halo 3 ODST, no catch. So here's my spiel:


If you haven't registered for Microsoft's Imagine Cup yet, you should definitely register now!! If you visit http://imaginecup.us/ NOW and register (you don't actually have to participate in the competition), they'll send you a free copy of Halo 3 ODST. But only 5,000 will be sent, so make sure to go do it right now! Here is the fine print, so you can see there's NO catch: (you can find this at http://www.imaginecup.us/rules.aspx in the very bottom of the "U.S. Imagine Cup 2010 Promotions" section)

MICROSOFT IMAGINE CUP 2010 U.S. "Halo 3: ODST" FREE GIFT OFFER

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Offer good only in the 50 United States (includes D. of C.) to actively enrolled students at an accredited educational institution at time of entry that are 16 years of age or older. To qualify, you must register on the Imagine Cup US site www.imaginecup.us by filling out all of the required fields. By registering, you will automatically receive the free gift. Must be 17 years or older to receive "M" rated games. If individual is under 17 an alternate game title will be substituted. Offer valid only to the first 5,000 to respond. Limit one gift per person. This offer is non-transferable and cannot be combined with any other offer. This offer ends on March 15, 2010 while supplies last, and is not redeemable for cash. Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the recipient. Any gift returned as non-deliverable will not be re-sent. Please allow 6 - 8 weeks for shipment of your gift.



This offer was released late Friday, and the other Microsoft Student Partners are also distributing it to their schools, so make sure to sign up quick before they're gone!

Richard Carter
Microsoft Student Partner for NC State
rwcarter@student-partners.[redacted]