According to a blog post on the SAP network, SAP is now selling a license that allows you to redistribute web applications which include the Crystal Reports 2008 runtime engine.  Before this license, every deployment of a web application required the client to purchase one copy of Crystal Reports 2008 to provide the runtime license for the Crystal web engine. Now the application developer can purchase a “Developer Advantage” distribution license for $2500 that allows them the right to unlimited distribution of the runtime engine.  This only applies to CR 2008.  Deploying a web application on any prior version still requires that you follow the licensing model for that version.  Developer Advantage does NOT allow you to distribute the Crystal Reports designer, and it does NOT allow for “Software as a Service” deployments, both of which you should discuss with their OEM team.

There is still the option to purchase a single copy of Crystal Reports 2008 to support a single deployment, but this option is going to be phased out in favor of the Developer Advantage license.  The good news is that this has no effect on “Thick Client” or local deployments where the runtime engine is installed and run on a workstation.  Crystal Reports still allows unlimited deployment of client based applications if you use the developer edition of any prior version, or CR 2008 (which only comes in one edition).