>>>>I recall at one point there was a way you could get a MSDN Universal subscrption from Microsoft for like $400 - you had to join something they had - Indepent Software Vendor or something like that?
>>>>
>>>>Anyway - does that still exist? I know the subscption platforms have changed and all - but perhaps Micro$oft still offers a cheap way to get the subscriptions?
>>>
>>>Craig's pointed out Empower. There's also the Microsoft Action Pack (MAP): https://partner.microsoft.com/40016455
>>>
>>>You need to be at least a "registered partner" for MAP, but you can become one on-line in a few minutes, at no cost.
>>
>>Yeah I've got the Action Pack - but it doesn't really come with a whole lot of developer goodies...
>
>Visual Studio Standard and SQL 2008 no ? Does it have Expression Studio?

https://partner.microsoft.com/40013779