The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 3 (of 5) - MS-SQL 2000 Developer Edition...

MS-SQL 2000 Developer Edition...

Putting aside the existence of MSDE for a moment, strictly because I have never gotten it to properly install, would anyone here recommend picking up the MS-SQL 2000 Developer Edition as a piece of software for small, Windows-based database developoment? I asked about a light SQL system a while back, so I apologize if this is a tad redundant. I'm mostly curious what people think of this Development Edition. THANKS!

Andrew Burton
Tuesday, November 4, 2003

Yes! It's exactly the same as full-blown SQL Server (only with a different licence). It's only $50 - so stop fannying about... ;-)
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/howtobuy/development.asp

Duncan Smart
Tuesday, November 4, 2003

Unless there are features in MSDE that you need, I recommend SQLite. Multi-platform, ACID, good performance, open-source, under active development, no install required besides copying a 200KB DLL in the host.

Frederic Faure
Tuesday, November 4, 2003

It appears that you have to buy an MSDN license to purchase the developer edition?

Can someone give me a link along the lines of "click here to ad to your cart?"

Tuesday, November 4, 2003

http://shop.microsoft.com/Referral/productInfo.asp?siteID=10145

First box on the top right has "Add to basket" for the developer edition.

- Dave

Dave
Tuesday, November 4, 2003

sweetness dude, thanks.

Tuesday, November 4, 2003

Amazon also has it (for a few bucks cheaper).

SomeBody
Tuesday, November 4, 2003

The dev edition is a real bargain.

If you have the office cd, then actually you don't have to purchase anything! You can simply install the MSDE engine from that. You can then go and download the trial edition of sql server. DO NOT install the sql server, BUT ONLY install the client tools. The client tools don’t expire! This is a way to get the Enterprise manager tools for free, and the they work 100% with the MSDE included on the office cd.

So, in effect, you can develop, and test for sql server for free if you have ms-office already. In addition, both the MSDE, and the enterprise tools will install on win98 boxes, and does not requite the win2000/xp versions of windows that you normally do need to install sql server.

The MSDE is included on the office cd since ms-access now ships/works with both JET and sql server. I just did not like using ms-access to setup and create tables on sql server, so I grabbed the EM from the free sql trial edition. (you can use the GUI in ms-access, and it works the same as creating local tables...but the table is actaully being created on sql server).

Apparently, MS does not seem to mind this little loop hole that exists to get the EM tools for free.

Albert D. Kallal
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
kallal@msn.com
http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn

Albert D. Kallal
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

You don't need Office to get MSDE. It can be downloaded for free from Microsoft's site. It's somewhat confusingly hidden with the SQL Server Service Pack download but it's there.

SomeBody
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

Or get it directly here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=413744d1-a0bc-479f-bafa-e4b278eb9147

Microsoft has just made it available separately.

Pyreal
Wednesday, November 5, 2003

2 small differences between MSDE and SQL Server that I know of: MSDE downgrades its performance after some number of connections, and limits itself to 2 or 4 gigabytes of data (per database?).

Keith Wright
Wednesday, November 5, 2003