Phil -

In most instances, I agree with your observations regarding the SQL Server folks.

However, there is one glaring and monumental foul-up that has me wondering if that group's long-standing customer focus in on the way out.

I am referring to the violation of the most elementary product program "don't" of not leaving your base high and dry with no way to migrate to a new release. This of course refers to the recent posts stating that SSDT 2012 will not support the migration of older SSRS project files.

It is inexcusable that Microsoft would not consider it necessary to provide a means of migrating (in my case 100s) of SSRS project files forward to the newer SSDT.

It makes me wonder if the people in the product management chain have taken leave of their senses. Do they understand anything at all about the real world of their customers?

I have seen a post on an msdn forum that would seem to indicate a distinct lack of cooperation exists between the BIDS team and the Visual Studio Team, the thread would seem to indicate that a BIDS 2012 may be forthcoming, but that the VS team has no intention of providing backward compatibility for older SSRS project files in SSDT.

Were it in my power to make an executive decision at MSFT in the wake of this fiasco it would be that from here on out the VS team is not authorized to release product with the SQL Server brand. THE BIDS team would have sole control over the development studio feature and function set for SQL Server. The VS team has shown a profound lack of understanding of the customer in this one.

Unfortunately, I do not have the decision making authority in my new position as regards a migration to SQL Server 2012. If I did, we would not go forward on SQL Server 2012 until the powers at MSFT remedied this train wreck. Someone in the VS product management chain should lose their decision making authority over this one!