Don’t call it SQL Express, please !
Posted
Thu, Jul 8 2004 5:59
by
bill
How many folks are running Windows.NET ? How many folks actually remember that over usage naming bungle ? Well folks here we go again with SQL Express.
First ask, is it “express”. Well not really, the download and install is smaller, but the actual product runs at the same speed or slower than full blown SQL.
Next ask, is it learning orientated, like the other express products? A: No, it is designed to be used as the free version of SQL.
Finally, ask does it come with the same kind of development experience as the Visual Studio Express products (VB.NET, C# and C++). A: No, it really is designed to be used in conjunction with those tools, not *instead* of those tools.
Perhaps this is why Sam had a different *expected* view of the product than what Brian thinks he should. A marketing name can mislead and confuse, especially if applied to products it should not be applied to. If it was as an extra to the other express products, rather than marketed as a stand alone *express* version, people would be focusing on the integration of the tools and the integration of languages with SQL etc. As stand alone, it really is just MSDE.Next.
So how about a different name, one that actually reflects what to expect. If it were up to me, I’d call it SQL Lite.
And I'd market the Express porducts as including SQL Lite (optional download during install)
Oh, as to Brian and Sam’s POV’s, well I agree with both of them to some extent. I think that early Betas are good. For too long MS has kept the early stages to a too inner circle, IMO. Inner circles are great for brain storming//think tanks etc, but when you want product feedback you need to get feedback from the outer circles. MS still has a long way to go there. They should try to indicate in their betas what is intended if it is not implemented. That is, Betas should be for feedback, not just sneak peeks. As such it’s important they communicate one way or another what is in there. And beta testers also need to learn to read between the lines, and not get too hung up on what isn’t there. Maybe we all have some growing to do ;)