Microsoft Expression is a family of tools for designers building web and Windows client applications and rich media content. Expression Studio 4 Ultimate includes four applications: Expression Web 4, Expression Blend 4, Expression Encoder 4 Pro, and Expression Design 4.

Expression Web 4

Expression Web is a web-design application. Beginning users can build web pages visually, without knowing any markup or server code, using the application's task panes and menus. More advanced users can build websites that fully support web standards such as Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), cascading style sheets (CSS), Extensible Markup Language (XML), and Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations (XSLT).

The Expression Web SuperPreview online service lets designers see how pages will look in other browsers and operating systems, such as Safari on Mac OS X. The SEO Checker helps designers optimize pages for discovery and indexing by search engines.

Expression Blend 4

Expression Blend is a user interface design tool that lets designers create application interfaces that can be completed by developers with minimal modification. The interface designs can be used either for desktop applications that run on Microsoft's Windows Presentation Foundation or for rich Internet applications that run on Silverlight, Microsoft's cross-platform, cross-browser application framework.

Expression Blend's SketchFlow is a tool that enables designers to create a prototype of the flow and layout of an application. The prototype runs in the SketchFlow Player, which allows others to explore the prototype and add feedback. Expression Blend generates Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML), which can be used directly in Microsoft Visual Studio or exported into other tools and project formats. Code can also be edited directly within Expression Blend: the Intellisense code editor allows designers and developers to work with C# and Visual Basic in addition to XAML.

Expression Encoder 4 Pro

Expression Encoder 4 Pro is a professional-level encoding tool that enhances and encodes video and simplifies publishing it with Silverlight. Expression Encoder can encode a wide array of video file formats, stream live from webcams and camcorders, and capture activity from PC screens. Input formats include AVI, WMV, WMA, MOV, and MPEG. Output formats are VC-1 and H.264, with detailed control over the output characteristics.

Within Expression Encoder, users can perform simple edits such as trimming and cropping. They can add branding overlays to videos, add thumbnail markers at various points to aid viewer navigation, and choose from a variety of player templates for the encoded video. Output video can be protected with Microsoft PlayReady digital rights management.

Expression Design 4

Expression Design is a graphic design tool that can be used to create and edit vector-based graphics, bitmap-based graphics, and hybrid documents including vector and bitmap elements.

Version 4 adds the ability to import Windows Metafile and Enhanced Metafile graphics, such as those created in Visio and Word. Users can now also save various workspaces, which are specific layouts of panels suitable for different kinds of projects.

Obtaining This Product

Installing this product requires you to download the software from the Volume Licensing Service Center and enter a license key. You can download any available version or language for your product. After you download the software, learn how to install it or burn it to a disc for later use.

The license key allows you to install the product on as many computers as you have received licenses for. This quantity is specified in the first email you receive from TechSoup after requesting this product.

Expect three emails:

1. When your donation request has been approved, TechSoup will send a message to your organization email address confirming the number of licenses you have requested.
2. Microsoft will send an email welcoming your organization to the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC).
3. TechSoup will send an email with information about obtaining your license key and managing your donation at the VLSC. If you are new to the VLSC, you should wait for this email before you register there.

Software Assurance

Under the Software Assurance program, you have the right to install any new release of products covered in the agreement during the term of your coverage.

• Hardware:
• 1-GHz (or higher) processor
• 1 GB or more RAM
• 128 MB or more graphics RAM
• 2 GB available hard-disk space
• Support for DirectX 9.0 graphics with Windows Vista Display Driver Model (WDDM) driver, Pixel Shader 3.0 in hardware, 32 bits per pixel
• 1024x768-pixel (or higher) display with 24-bit color
• DVD drive
• Software:
• Windows XP with SP3; Windows Vista; Windows 7; Windows Server 2008
• .NET Framework 4.0
• Silverlight 4.0
• Other:
• For some features — Firefox 3.0, Internet Explorer 8

• This donation is available to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) designation and to public libraries. Public libraries must either have valid 501(c)(3) nonprofit status or be listed in the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) database.
• Organizations that are not eligible: Not all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are eligible for participation in the Microsoft Donation Program. Those that are not eligible should visit Microsoft Volume Licensing for Industries for more information about charity licensing; they may still be eligible for discounted software from Microsoft. The following types of organizations are ineligible for Microsoft software donations:
• Governmental organizations or agencies.
• Educational institutions, including K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and trade schools.
• Healthcare organizations and networks, including hospitals, specialty networks, ambulatory healthcare services, home healthcare and assisted living healthcare organizations, research organizations, and laboratories. Exceptions: Community health clinics, medical research groups, behavioral healthcare nonprofits, women's health centers, and blood banks are eligible to request Microsoft software donations.
• Political, labor, and fraternal organizations; commerce and trade associations without charitable aims or activities; sponsorships of events, tables, exhibitions, or performances; fundraising events such as luncheons, dinners, walks, runs, or sports tournaments.
• Religious organizations not registered as a charity and without a secular community designation that is separate from the church or religious organization. A secular designation is defined as an organization that provides services to people regardless of their religious beliefs and does not propagate a belief in a specific faith. Example: A food bank with nonprofit or charity status that is run by a church but is a separate and unique organization that provides food and meals to anyone who qualifies for services, regardless of religious beliefs. Religious organizations without secular designations can visit Programs for Charitable Organizations for information regarding licensing options; they may be eligible to receive discounted Microsoft software through these programs.
• Refurbishers that will be installing the donated software on refurbished computers to be distributed or donated to nonprofits or schools. Please visit the Registered Refurbisher Program.
• Nonpublic libraries, including private libraries, school libraries, specialty libraries, armed forces libraries, and libraries in government agencies.
• Eligible organizations receive an allotment of Microsoft software donation requests that is reset every two years. An organization’s two-year cycle begins with its first donation request after July 27, 2011. After two years, a new cycle begins, and a new allotment becomes available. The organization does not need to request the full amount of its allotment. There is no limit to the number of separate requests the organization can make and no minimum quantity requirement.
• During its two-year cycle, an organization can request products from up to 10 title groups. For title groups that contain applications that run on an individual computer (like a desktop or laptop PC), there is a 50-license maximum. For title groups that contain client access licenses or other licenses that provide for connection to or management of a server, there is also a 50-license maximum. For server products, there is a five-product maximum, regardless of title group. For further details, see Quantity and Frequency of Microsoft Requests on the Microsoft Donation Program — Eligibility and Allotments page.
• Public libraries may request Microsoft software donations through this program only for use on public access computers or on computers used to directly manage either the public access computers or the library's public access program. Participating libraries must also make their collection and basic services available to the population of their legal service area without charges to individual users (excluding incidental fees such as printing charges). If they so choose, libraries may impose charges on users outside the legal service area and may provide products and services (beyond basic services) to the public at large, with or without individual charges.
• Organizations that engage in discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination, and/or retirement based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, political affiliation, union membership, or veteran status, other than as allowed by law, are not eligible to participate in this program. Organizations must be willing and able to attest that they do not discriminate on any of these grounds in order to receive donations.
• Microsoft products may not be transferred between separate legal entities or resold. Additionally, Microsoft products may not be installed on computers that will be given to or sold to other organizations or individuals, even as part of a charitable program.
• Donated product will be distributed under this program to qualifying organizations and libraries only, not to individuals.