So you have signed up for your the Launch Tour in your local area and noticed that you will be receiving "Special Edition copies of Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005".  If your curious like me you wonder exactly what "Special Edition" means read on.... 

According to these images which Mark Relph uploaded, it is a copy of the Standard Version of Visual Studio 2005, and Sql Server.

Here is a nice comparison chart between the various editions. 

More details about the Standard Edition including cost.

Microsoft putting software in the hands of developers.  Pretty cool if you ask me.

Launch2005

2 Comments

• MattM said Friday, November 4, 2005 10:30:00 AM

  I guess we will we be able to upgrade to Professional edition for $549.00 ?? It just seems silly to give SQL server along with VS if there is no SQL Server integration in Standard.

• Wim Hollebrandse said Friday, November 4, 2005 12:12:00 PM

  Anyone know in what way it is constrained as far as SQL Server 2005 is concerned? I mean, I can't use the server explorer from within VS.NET, is that it?
  
  Surely the IDE doesn't limit you accessing a SQL Server 2005 datasource using ADO.NET 2.0...