7fff – think max value

Developer Abuse – Microsoft SQL Server Version

The poor developer just wants to download and install the free Microsoft SQL Server — i.e., the “Express” edition.

He ends up here:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/express/bb410792.aspx

Goodness, he needs .NET 2.0. So he clicks on the link and . . . there’s tons of info about .NET 3.0, 3.5, etc., etc., but no obvious link to download 2.0:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa904955.aspx

So he tries the “download” link at the top . . . Ah, there it is (at http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/netframework/aa569263.aspx).

Now let’s get SQL Server Express: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/express/bb410792.aspx

Good grief, here are some of my choices:

• SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
• SQL Server Management Studio Express
• SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services
• SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Toolkit

Um, I guess I’ll take the first one. Hope it works!

But this is all madness. I need to be able to Google for “download microsoft sql server” and get a page with one obvious download link that gets me what I want. And please, if I need .NET, make the default download something that bundles in the right version.