Jun 26 2007
Missing Features: SQL Server 2005
SQL server 2005 is the best database system around.
Why not MySQL? MySQL is great, and open-source (well, sort of). But it really lacks an easy to use configuration tool and query editor. And it took five versions to get stored procedures. But you really still don’t have stored procedures because they changed so much in the 4 > 5 upgrade that plenty of legacy systems, users and even new projects are built on top of version 4.
Nothing beats the syntax of SQL stored procedures, user defined functions and views. The syntax just works beautifully, once you wrap your head around that you aren’t really programming C++.
And the SQL Management Studio is hands down the best SQL client out there. Nothing is easier to use, more intuitive and better suited to SQL management than the client. Sure it has flaws and a few bugs, but it’s very solid software overall.
If a team were to port the SQL Management studio officially to work with MySQL system that product would sell like $3 pints of Guinness at the New York St Patrick’s Day parade.
MySQL programmers and gurus would certainly argue that you can do everything at the command line, and you don’t need an editor. But your correspondent is confident that those same programmers have never actually built a enterprise web application architecture with a robust database tier.
Try debugging a system with 80 stored procedures, 2 dozen UDFs and 40 tables on the command line. Not possible, not fun and not efficient.
Command Line Interfaces
Command lines interfaces are a terrible way to design an interface (if you only have a command line). Sure, they make complex commands easy for advanced users. Really easy. In fact, a superior command line is one of best features the Linux server offers over Windows-based systems.
So why are command lines so bad? Because they violate the first law of menu design: menu systems need to be clear and easy to use for the novice user, while offering shortcuts and speedy alternatives to advanced users.
Sure, command lines offer speedy shortcuts for