I have had SQL Server 2008 Installed (Feb2008 CTP) for a few months now and the intellisense that comes with Management Studio is really really useful. So much so that when I find myself using Management Studio on some other machine, I find that I miss it immediately. For me there’s no going back. It’s one of the best usability features that is included in 2008. I used it as much as I could with any SQL Server connection I made.
Unfortunately, Intellisense is being dropped for connections to SQL Server 2005 in RTM and RC0. I was warned here. Also see here.
Apparently the reasoning is that while the #1 goal of Intellisense is to allow people to script more efficiently, On 2005, any incorrect suggestions will cause developers to spend more time figuring out what went wrong. I totally disagree. Intellisense has been so useful that I can’t see how any potential wrong-version intellisense-confusion could possibly outweigh the benefits. I don’t believe them when they say that intellisense on 2005 would negatively impact development.
They also complain that supporting multiple versions of SQL Server would multiply time and cost to develop. As an end user, I don’t care. Redgate has intellisense. I don’t see why MS can’t. MS should also consider this a great opportunity to improve their SQL Server management tools.
Well yesterday I installed RC0 and sure enough 2005 Intellisense support has been dropped. I missed it immediately. In fact, I have some colleagues who plan to stay on the Feb CTP until their license expires.
If only there were something we could do.
There is! And it’s (slightly) better than a petition. Vote at Microsoft’s Connect site on this issue:
http://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=341872
