You know what Im talking about don't you? When something isnt installed with a product that would seem (to the mere mortal at least) blindingly obvious... Im talking, of course, about the Express Edition of SQL Server 2008.

Tonight I decided to install Visual Studio 2010, Beta 2. Even on my pissy little 17" it looked pretty. During the installation it chucks in a default instance of Sql Express in the background for various things. I trust MS... they wouldn't install anything that didnt need to be there, right?

...

Anyway, after this, realising this didn't come with SQL Management Studio (another 'blindingly obvious' moment) I hit the MSDN site and re-downloaded the Express Edition, with Advanced Tools. After installing a second instance (which I realise in hindsight I probably shouldn't have done), I saw my shiny new SQL Management Studio Icon in my SQL Server 2008 Install. Huzzah! Until, that is, I opened it and connected to the local instance.

No databases.

Sigh. Seriously Microsoft? No samples? The SQL Server 2008 installation screen ever so helpfully provides a link to the Codeplex website, where the samples for the MS Databases since day dot were developed. Even so, one would think Microsoft could strike some sort of deal with the guys at Codeplex where they include the sample databases as part of the installation? Is it just me, or is this blindingly obvious?

Maybe Im being too harsh... After all I have no idea what goes on behind the scenes.

So I went to the Codeplex site and downloaded the 2008 samples MSI. After re-downloading the MSI again when I realised I downloaded (my bad) the x86 version (I'm on x64), I ran the installation, and got to the section where I select my instance where I want AdventureWorks (one of the samples) installed. Selected the first instance in the list... my 'Next' button didn't enable. Not to be deterred, I tried the other instance... still nothing.

Ah, stuff this. Ill try again tomorrow night when I can install a proper version of Sql 2008...

In any case, it really grinds my gears when blindingly obvious features/options/resources aren't included in applications where people pay top dollar for access to said applications. Its not that hard to add that 63MB file to the ISO is it?

Is it?!?!

Night all :)