Where can I get SQL SERVER 2008 cheap and legally?
 

Can anyone help a brother out?

Enterprise edition.

Any webhost on the MSPLA (like us :) Hit me up on ICQ if you want more info) will be able to provide you SQL server at a monthly fixed cost.

Thanks Juicemonkey, but I'd just like to buy a copy outright. I just don't want to pay the US$6K :helpme

What other option do you think there is?
That's the cost of the license legally... The monthly cost from Microsoft is around $900/month PER CPU.

:1orglaugh

Bugger LOL.

It's actually a site on your servers Chris.

I think it's probably cheaper to get my coder to spend a whole week switching everything over to mysql instead, or some other open source DB.

You can get your own chinese cracked copy, I mean supposedly legit copy for $399 http://www.interweavetech.com/micros...8-x86-x64.html

And then watch your site fall over once MS find out....d'oh.

microsoft partner program

yes, i would recommend going to MySQL. Don't have to worry about the high cost of that licensing - which IMO is pretty crazy.
Depending on your DB, it may not actually take that long to convert to MySQL - but who knows.

I'll ask my coder to drop you a line Chris. Are you fairly knowledgeable about what's involved? We have a dedicated box with you guys on one of the pro plans.