Numerous SQL Server MVPs (and lots of other users as well) have been screaming at Microsoft for years to improve partitioning. I hope improvements will be coming in later versions of the engine. Connect has some entries for these things I think. It is a sin we need to jump through hoops for things like this!!
Best,
Kevin G. Boles
SQL Server Consultant
SQL MVP 2007-2012
TheSQLGuru on googles mail service