MS Empower Program ISV - now called Action Pack with ISV?

It has been recommended to me for a couple of years now to get into the Empower program. I did some searching recently and am finding that the program has been changed since I first looked at it over a year ago. It seems an exam is now needed and it now looks like earlier operating systems do not come with the software.

I am trying to learn programming (there's just me, no one else and I do programming at nights and weekends, not for fulltime work). I have been developing in VB6 and took an Intro course at a local college in VB.Net 2003 back in 2004 but didn't do any further development at the time. I am now looking at the programs I have been writing and would like to do further development on them and to write newer programs but do not want to stay in VB6 because of the change in operating system environments that is going to be happening over the next few years, starting with Vista.

So can anyone provide some firsthand (or other experience) about the Empower or ISV programs on how it helps the learning process, it's requirements, etc.? Also, I understand the program can be renewed for a second year but I cannot find conclusive information on what happens afterward. Does the software just discontinue to work based on installation codes? Is there an upgrade path to purchase VS and some of the other software?

Any help is appreciated TIA