As mentioned by der.hans last nite, I received the following from vmware.

FYI

>Dear VMware Customer,
>
>When we introduced VMware software, we wanted to allow students and
>hobbyists to use our product on a private, non-commercial basis. So
>we created a hobbyist/student price and made it available on the
>"honor" system. For a single-user electronic license, the discount
>price was US$99. And the price for the packaged product was US$129.
>
>We are dedicated to keeping this valuable discount for our academic
>customers. However, in the future we will handle these sales through
>a distributor who specializes in selling to students and other
>academics via educational channels -- such as campus bookstores,
>catalogs, and Web sites. (Watch your email for the complete details.)
>And we will continue to deal directly with academic institutions that
>wish to buy multiple copies of VMware for their classes and
>training programs.
>
>If you qualify for the current program, there's still time to act.
>The last day for new non-commercial orders is December 4th. To order
>a copy, visit our store on the VMware Web site. The hobbyists/student
>discount information is located at
>http://vmware1.m0.net/m/s.asp?H2457966284X900171.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>The VMware Team