Microsoft Office & Sql Server prices eek!

[swebb]

Hi,

I'm been thinking of purchasing microsoft office and sql server so I can develop on my own kit rather than the customers and it will also allow me to work from home more often. I got a nasty shock when I looked at the price Office is £300+ and well server is stupid money, I only want it for one box. Am I looking in the wrong places are are these packages always so damn expensive ?

I'm so used to the Mac/Linux world I have never looked into microsoft prices before, they seem like a joke to me but its not april 1st anymore

[AtW]

Get Action Pack - well worth it if you have got multiple PCs (up to 10).

[London75]

You only need SQL Developer as well which is normally well under £100.

[swebb]

Mmmm interesting AtW thanks for that. Its the first I've heard of Action Pack.

I had a quick look at the website and I think I follow what its saying. The MAP is £199 and you need to be a Microsoft Registered Partner which is Free. So if I register to be a registered partner and agree to the terms and conditions of MAP and hand over £199 I get most of the OS, Office & Server software they produce and can use it for development on my laptop and iMac

Have I missed something as this seems to good to be true I need XP x64 (maybe vista x64), Server 2005 (bigger than 4gig DBs's), Outlook, Office, Excel so i there are all provided its a great deal.

Oh and how long does it all take to register and get the disks and when they arrive is there any registrations required.

Thanks

Steve

[Badger]

I got my MS Office Pro for around £44 for 3pc license.

Benefits of having kids at school

http://www.software4students.co.uk/

[Grinder]

Join the Microsoft Partner Programme, I seem to remember you get everything for about £200.

Edit: I think this is the Action Pack already mentioned.

[swebb]

Thanks for the replies

I've just looked into the MAP a bit more and it looks like you have to pass some microsoft test. These seemed to be aimed a microsoft developers and in my case I'm a Java developer who uses the Microsoft SQL Server as a DB and also generate some files for excel and outlook use. So I'm not really what you could call upto speed to the microsoft world

Has anyone taken any of these tests ? What kind of level are they, are there any examples anywhere ?

Steve

[blacjac]

Yes, took the web development test earlier this year. Watched the video (needn't have bothered - didn't cover anything in the exam). Took the multiple choice exam, got 50% on guesswork alone. Failed it (pass mark is about 70%) but made a note of the answers (it tells you them as you go). Took it again immediately, same questions, same order, got 100%

[MrMark]

Yes, took the web development test earlier this year. Watched the video (needn't have bothered - didn't cover anything in the exam). Took the multiple choice exam, got 50% on guesswork alone. Failed it (pass mark is about 70%) but made a note of the answers (it tells you them as you go). Took it again immediately, same questions, same order, got 100%

Ah - an initiative test!!!

People don't realise this but MySql isn't always free. I think that if you re-sell it you have to buy the "Enterprise" version.
I keep hearing that PostgreSQL isn't bad at all. I never really liked Ingres (from which Postgre has advanced) but that was a long time ago...it's all basic set theory anyway isn't it?

[swebb]

Yes, took the web development test earlier this year. Watched the video (needn't have bothered - didn't cover anything in the exam). Took the multiple choice exam, got 50% on guesswork alone. Failed it (pass mark is about 70%) but made a note of the answers (it tells you them as you go). Took it again immediately, same questions, same order, got 100%

Blimey they tell you the answers and then you can take it again, really ! Makes you wonder what the point of the test is !