@faris,
In response to your questions and/or remarks, note the following.
First of all, with respect to
** I have just found a page on the Odin website with trial key numbers valid for something like 28 days and it looks like new keys are added when these are no longer valid. Maybe these trial keys are all I need - I don't mind entering a new key every now and then. However, logically speaking, I would assume these keys would NOT allow you to enter a new trial key after the first trial key has expired? It seems to be that it would be asking for trouble otherwise?
I must assume that you do NOT refer to the development portal (i.e. the partner portal, that contains a development portal).
As far as I can remember, the license keys from the development (partner) portal are valid during a longer period than 28 days.
Of course I could just purchase a key for testing, but for a small scale reseller without access to the quantity discounts of the big companies, we are talking in the region of $100-$150 per year for a Web Host edition on Virtuozzo (less for Web Pro versions obviously, but that's not what I need).
Not really, given the facts that:
a) licenses for Plesk can be cheaper, when purchasing licenses with Odin partners (be selective, prices differ greatly amongst those partners),
b) for testing purposes, the Web Host edition is not really necessary, in the sense that it is a "bit too much",
c) the development portal (i.e. part of the partner portal) provides you with development license keys, with full functionality, for free, during a relatively long period of time (I believe that the development licenses are valid during a couple of months).
In conclusion, sign up for the partner portal and download the (free) development licenses and validate whether these licenses satisfy your needs.
The appropriate URL for the partner network: partners.odin.com.
Hope the above helps, kind regards.....