dreamspark

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Soldato
Joined
1 Jun 2005
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5,152
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Kent
Has anyone here ever downloaded anything from dreamspark? I was thinking about downloading microsoft sql server 2008 express edition to try and understand and learn the basics of SQL databases. What i want to know is am i limited in the number of devices i can put it on? Idealy i would like to install it on both my PC running vista, and my XP laptop, but the license agreement is quite long and hard to read.

I know when i got office ultimate from MS through their student deal site i could install it on 1 machine and 1 mobile device, but im not sure if these programs are the same because dreamspark is a different site to that special office ultimate deal site.

Also, if i got a copy of windows server 2003 to learn a bit about that, would there be any point to running a server OS on a home LAN environment when it wont be actully running any applications that the LAN needs access to? would it be a pointless learning experience if im not actully running server applications and such?
 
If you want to learn SQL. Just use MySQL. It's free and IS the definitive version.
A server os at home, for you, sounds like a waste of time, yes.

Unless you absolutely must use windows I'd actually recommend you set up a Linux (LAMP) server. You'll can learn SQL and have a server, for free.
 
well being a student i can get things like windows server 2003/2008, SQL server developer/express all for free. So the cost benifit of linux is irrelevent when i can get these windows products for free.
 
yashiro said:
If you want to learn SQL. Just use MySQL. It's free and IS the definitive version.
A server os at home, for you, sounds like a waste of time, yes.

Unless you absolutely must use windows I'd actually recommend you set up a Linux (LAMP) server. You'll can learn SQL and have a server, for free.
Click to expand...

Why on earth would you try to put someone off learning about enterprise-standard Microsoft applications while they are able to get them for free? If I was starting off from scratch, given the wealth of good tools that Microsoft provides free of charge I'd be heavily inclined to learn the ASP.NET / IIS / MSSQL way of doing things - they are a lot more employer-friendly for a start.
 
It's a very good idea in the beginning to have a rounded knowledge of most systems - then take a speciality later so if the opportunity to learn MS stuff for free is there - it should be taken.

That said, since dreamspark is a free distribution and not just a discount deal on a licence. I think you'll be ok installing it as much as you like (try and use separate licence keys - the dreamspark site lets you generate more than one). As long as you stick to it's proposed use (ie for yourself to learn about it) then i doubt you'd have any trouble. Just don't go giving away the licences or using them in some business environment.
 
SQL express is free to use on as many machines as you wish.

I'm currently running Windows 2003 Standard for my home server, soon to be migrated to 2008. I also have plenty of machines that can be joined to my domain (various Linux, Xp, and Vista machines) and it runs like a charm doing a range of services such as file, print, web serving and will soon do RADIUS.
 
I used to always use MySQL but after using MSSQL I wouldn't go back unless I had to. In my opinion the tools are so much better. Management studio auto completion is great :D.
 
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