Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Why does anyone use MS SQL Server?

Everything about MS SQL server seems designed to make it as difficult as possible to do anything.

Want to restore a backup database?  You'd better be restoring to a database of exactly the same version or else you're not allowed.  Even if you're restoring from v10.000.000.1 to v10.000.000.2, that different version number will stop you.  This might make sense if you were restoring to an older version, but you will be blocked even restoring to a later version of the database, which could and should be able to understand an earlier version.

Want to import an SQL file?  You may think that SQL Server Studio would have that sorted (and indeed it does for small files) but if you want to import an SQL file of more than 250Mb, get ready to use the command line.  And if you have any errors in your SQL, don't expect SQLCMD to tell you the correct line number!  And you are bound to get an error; I don't think I've ever managed to directly import an sql file (that was directly exported from MSSQL) without having to manually edit something in it first.

And then there's "named pipes" and "instances" to adde extra layers of complication.  And different versions: LocalDb, SQLExpress, SQLServer, each with their own features and problems.  Some will work with IIS, some won't.  Apparently LocalDb is "a SQL Server Database Engine that developer them write and test Transact-SQL code without having to manage a full server instance of SQL Server."  Why not just run a full server instance, or have MS realise that it's just too cumbersome?  That developers (unlike end-users) have seen through the looking glass and know better than to use it, but are forced to in order to develop for it?

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