I recently attended the "Heroes Happen Here" launch event that Microsoft held at over 200 locations around the globe (with over 300,000 attending world-wide).  It was to promote the launch of Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008, and Visual Studio 2008.  Microsoft tries to bundle the releases of those platforms and tools pretty close together, because they all interact together and although they aren't necessarily dependent on each other, some of the interfaces and features might only be possible if you are using one of the others. 

However, it felt like they have missed the mark ... because even for someone who attends these types of events and tries to stay up to date, these releases seemed pretty disconnected and confusing.  I attended DevConnections in Las Vegas back in November 2007 and it was marketed as the "Visual Studio 2008 Launch Event" ... and they even said they would be giving away free, full-licensed versions of the RTM professional edition at the conference.  It was somewhat anti-climatic when Scott Guthrie got up at the keynote and had to tell the 5,000 IT Pros attending that wouldn't be the case ... they would have to mail us the DVDs over the next couple weeks, which actually turned into months.  I finally got my copy sometime in March (4-5 months later).

Microsoft originally targeted Q4 2007 for the release of Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008, but sometime mid-2007 they announced both would be pushed to February 27, 2008.  They were able to get Windows Server 2008 shipped on that date ... but SQL Server 2008 didn't make the cut.  (Windows Server 2008 Standard is already available through vendors like CDW for around $700.)  At the launch event I attended this week, they gave me the latest copy of the SQL Server 2008 CTP, which means it isn't even in RC yet.  All this has left me wondering what was going on, and when the real, final-release would actually be available to purchase.  So, I did a little research and after sifting through a ton of blogger's fact-less speculation, I finally found a blog post by Francois Ajenstat (Director of Project Manager for Microsoft SQL Server) that sheds a little light on the subject and expected roadmap for SQL Server 2008:

Microsoft is excited to deliver a feature complete CTP during the Heroes Happen Here launch wave and a release candidate (RC) in Q2 calendar year 2008, with final Release to manufacturing (RTM) of SQL Server 2008 expected in Q3. Our goal is to deliver the highest quality product possible and we simply want to use the time to meet the high bar that you, our customers, expect.

So ... RTM is slated for Q3 2008.  Seems like they have missed the original target by almost a year, but if the final release really is as impression as everyone says (and isn't buggy) then it will be worth the wait.  I guess we will all have to wait and judge for ourselves.

Update from 8/7/08: I just got a TechNet email that said SQL Server 2008 RTM has been released and is now available for download.