Why does it have to be so hard to simply install SQL Server 2005? Why can't I simply load a DVD into my computer, see a well designed and thought out install dashboard, make a few choices and click install?

The installation adventure for SQL Server 2005 is some kind of man versus machine epic battle. In one corner you have some poor soul who would like to get some work done today, in the other corner you have Legion. Legion is comprised of many souls including but most certainly not limited to the following: SQL Server Itanium, SQL Server x64, SQL Server x86, 32 bit, 64 bit, Developer Edition, SP1, and so on. Individually all of these things are great. Once you manage to extract the piece you are seeking all is good in the world.  But as long as they are combined into one mindless mob and you have trouble.

Why did the SQL Server 2005 setup application have to be written as a Web application? Was this the best choice for a setup application that runs off of a DVD? Were there any pros to a pseudo Web deployment package? Well, here are some cons:

Scary dialog, that warns me about potential security and privacy issues I should be aware of and avoid.

See, if this wasn't a Web page it could probably detect what Platform I was on and everything.

I'll go ahead and help it out, and choose SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition (English). Too bad I can't give any extra point for getting language right, since English was the only language on the DVD.

Now what should I do? Hmm, autorun.inf says run the HTML application "splash.hta", but this is Web application isn't it? so shouldn't I choose the HTML Document "default.htm"?
Is this background information I know fair to expect of all users? What about new developers? Does this create an artificial learning curve up front? Nobody can use it, until they figure out how to install it.

If you choose default.htm, which I still maintain is a reasonable choice, you will see the above, which reminds me of seeing "You Have Died of Dysentery" message in the old Oregon Trail game you may have played as a kid. At this point you can once again click and "Allow Blocked Content...". Well forcing me to confirm twice is okay because it is just Microsoft left hand watching out for Microsoft's right hand. I can understand that.

Hey where do you think you are going? Don't you know about allowing active content? Are you sure you want to let this file run active content?

Oh, you are. Well, too bad because you have an "Error on page." and nothing is going to happen. So ha. See what I mean about dying of dysentery? Sucks doesn't it?

Alright, some how or another you manage to recover from your dysentery, and make it back to the earlier step and choose "splash.hta". After realizing, that it followed that something named splash must be the installation executable.
Oh look, it needs us to tell it what Platform we are using, AGAIN. Not only can it not determine this on it own, which I'll admit maybe I do want to install the 32-bit (x86) version on my 64-bit OS, but at least remember once I tell you.

Oh boy, looks like we are getting close now. One problem I have with this screen is that nothing is selected by default. I would have one option, probably the "Install Server components, tools, Books Online, and samples" already selected in some manner, even if the text were only marked as bold.
Keep in mind all of the dialogs and forms are building up on our desktop. We now have at least three or four different active dialogs open right now.
If we were to choose an item in the above dialog it would open yet another dialog. One final usability treat is that once you pick a main option of this dialog, it will close itself and only itself. So if you wanted to do more than one thing it has listed, which it looks like it is encouraging then you can either sort through all the open dialogs you have already, or even more fun if you closed any of them, start all over again.
One more thing to note is this screen is labeled as SQL Server 2005 (Disc 1 of 2) is there another dialog for SQL Server (Disc 2 of 2)? One can only wonder considering this DVD is Disc 1 of 1.

Oh yeah! We are about half way through our adventure at this point, but the worst is behind us. From here most hardy adventurers make it to the promised land of our forefathers, and I have confidence you will too.

Take note, that it is after this point that Microsoft ask for your permission to log errors and issues, and track usage to help them improve Microsoft SQL Server, maybe it should be at the beginning of the setup application and not the end?