Historically, Microsoft has released RTM versions to MSDN and TechNet subscribers within a couple weeks after the RTM is official.

With Windows 8.1, you can't get a U.S. based spokesperson to say whether they are continuing this policy. They all say "no comment". Just like when you ask them if Windows 8.1 was RTM'd - "No comment". You gave no citations for anything you said, but I'm guessing you're basing it on the single Microsoft employee from the Netherlands that put out a message that said MSDN/Technet would be released at general availability. That's hardly official.

We're freezing dev and moving off .Net and Windows due to shit like this

A rumor that Windows 8.1 RTM would not be available to MSDN subscribers before GA is "shit like this" that makes you move off of .NET and Windows?

audits

Need an explanation of this one. The only time I've ever heard of an MSDN subscriber getting audited was taking MSDN .iso files and keys and posting them to torrent sites for something like 5 years before they said a word to him.

MS support being beyond fucking useless unless you're a multi million pound customer.

MS development support is useless and always has been no matter how big of a customer you are. The typical chain is: find a problem, report it to MS, solve it yourself, they email you asking for additional information. Been like that for at least the last 15 years. Vendor support is useless anyway when there're much better resources like Google to find quality sites like Stackoverflow.