I am attempting to make a computer into an sql server and have never done it before. I am finding all these programs and licenses i need to buy to use the microsoft sql with the help desk (call center) software i am trying to install. Is there a better way for me to make my computer an sql server and run the help desk program without buying microsoft sql 2008. I need about 4 licenses for help desk employees to use the hosted software.

See if your ticket tracking software supports Postgres or MySQL. Both are Free. If not, well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Bug_and_issue_tracking_software

Any edition of SQL server you buy will come with 5 client access licenses, which should be adequate for your needs. Look at all the options, you may not require the standard edition if the workgroup edition is adequate, and if you don't expect the database to exceed 4 GB, use the free express edition.

You'll find that if you try to migrate the schema for the help desk application you're running over to a DBMS that it wasn't designed for, you're going to incur much higher development and support costs. You're a fool if you believe otherwise. Besides, the client integration (native client), management tools and other services in SQL Server are brilliant.