So, What Do You Hate About SQL Server? -- Visual Studio Magazine

Data Driverby David Ramel

So, What Do You Hate About SQL Server?

Paul S. Randal stirred up the SQL Server community this week with a blog post titled "What 5 things should SQL Server get rid of?"

He tagged five friends and started a chain reaction--or SQL Meme--of bellicose bombast across the blogosphere.

Randal's No. 1 complaint? "Auto-shrink." The CEO of SQLskills.com said, "I tried to have it removed during SQL 2005 and SQL 2008 development, but to no avail. It needed to stay for backwards compatibility."

While he makes good arguments for his choices, others seem somewhat surprising. For example, Adam Haines wants to delete PRINT and SELECT * from SQL Server.

Some are pretty broad in their scope, such as Aaron Bertand's desire to drop "syntax inconsistencies" and "the current setup program."

Some nuance the nitty-gritty. Denis Gobo volunteered "Unique constraints with one NULL value" and "Restrictions on Indexed Views" while providing explanations, screenshots and recommended substitutions.

Some targeted specific tools. Jamie Thomson, the SSIS Junkie, tackled SQL Server Integration Services. His suggestions included the Web Service and ActiveX Script tasks. Todd McDermid followed this foray into SSIS with the "Properties Window" and "Data Profiling Task."

Brent Ozar has some rambling, inchoate ("Any feature described using the phrase ‘down payment' ") gripes about SQL Server Management Studio, including database diagrams and "Every SSMS UI designer."

Of course, readers were all over the subject, contributing their own colorful comments. One said the Web Service Task "should die. Horribly. Painfully."

By the time this is posted, I'm sure there will be dozens more. So let's board the bandwagon. Let it all out. Give Redmond an earful. (after all, so many people on TV say Windows 7 was their idea, why can't you claim that the next SQL Server edition was your idea?)

Weigh in here or drop me an e-mail (just don't start any memes about bloggers who should be banished from the Web!).

Posted by David Ramel on 05/12/2010

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