Agent && Replication - Missing And Missed!

I can't believe this. MSDE was a great product and I'm sure that SQL Express is even better. The difference is that I can't migrate any of my company's applications to it because they rely on a Replication architecture (requiring Replication Publication). And SQL Agent, how are you supposed to keep the database in good shape if you can't run Maintenance Plans at scheduled intervals?

I know, there are third party products out there to compensate for the lack of the SQL Agent, but they don't solve the replication problem. Besides, the Agent still exists in other editions - it's not like it has been dropped completely. Why do we have to lose functionality and features? We have already lost the use of a second CPU and memory > 1GB. Why do they need to keep taking stuff out? Why don't they just limit access to the new feature-set?

I would rather lose the new features such as Report Server and Full Text Indexing and get the SQL Agent and Replication Publication back. I can almost understand that with a free product, they don't want to keep piliing new features in just to give them away - even though I'm sure the sale of the larger editions more than covers the R&D investment in their construction. Why can't we chose? Agent or Report Server, Replication or Full Text Indexing? I don't need some of these new features (others might), I just want the features that I used to have. Perhaps SQL 2005 setup can be made to choose 2 out of the 4 features?

Whats more, I can't even say that I'll just stick with MSDE, as it now has a limited support life. Microsoft announced that any SQL Server version prior to 2005 SP1 will NOT be supported on Vista or Longhorn Server (nor does it support anything less than Windows 2000 SP4 or Windows XP SP2 where MSDE does).

OK - let me get this right. We had something that has been taken away in the new version. Perhaps I don't deserve the new version if I don't pay for it - fine - I'll stick to the old one I already have. BUT wait... I can't use that on the new platforms coming out.

Are my entry-level customers going to pay for the Workgroup Edition (add AUD$1200 to my entry level edition application of AUD$1500) to replace the Replication Publisher and provide a Maintenance plan? Is anyone going to pay for the re-architecting and re-construction of my application to work around these new limitations?

I guess that will be me. Is this what happens for being loyal to MS products?

Please - give back the SQL Agent and Replication publication.

Joe