Of course, it is always annoying when we have to restart a machine or stop a service to service software. I get annoyed when little updates to non-integral pieces of Windows prompt me to reboot; leave me alone and force me to reboot when you actually need those files. Or be smarter about "in-place replace" (if that concept makes sense). I understand the "in use" problem, but have we not made any strides in overcoming this in the past 20+ years of Windows? This is not exclusive to this platform; my Macs need to reboot after updating iTunes or Word, which I can't fathom either.
Anyway, I am straying. The other day I announced here that the CTP for SQL Server SP1 was available. Well, I have installed it on a half dozen machines, and have come across a few minor issues in the tools (mostly around state / registered server names in Object Explorer). But there was a change in setup that I think is going to create confusion all over the place. Basically on a single dialog it says two things:
1) you will need to stop service x to avoid a restart; and,
2) you will not need to stop service x to avoid a restart.
Don't believe me? Here it is in black and white (and blue, and red, and a few other colors, as RDP and a crappy video card on the other end will allow):
Being a "glass is half full" guy for the most part, I believed 2) and, after waiting 47 minutes (yes, 47 MINUTES, I timed it!) for setup to finish, was elated to find that I did not, in fact, have to reboot. Yay! But the text on the dialog needs to be updated. I complained about this on Connect, but I doubt this will meet the bar for a fix:
http://connect.microsoft.com/SQL/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=418470