Just read Jamie’s Five Things SSIS Should Drop and was inspired to do the same for SSRS (SQL Reporting Services. And in a nod to Jamie, the first has something to do with Integration Services.
1. No-Support “Support” for SSIS Data Sources.
It’s there, but it isn’t. It’s available, but you have to know about it in order to enable it in an XML config. And once you do, read the MSDN support docs…because it’s totally unsupported in a production environment. From MSDN:
Reporting Services includes a data processing extension that retrieves data from a SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) package. The SSIS data processing extension is not supported. This data processing extension is a non-production feature that is off by default. Using the SSIS data processing extension on a production server is not recommended at this time.
That’s half-pregnant. Either provide it with support or don’t…and instead make it a CodePlex “use at your own will” project.
2. Hidden Properties on Data Sources.
Like SSAS data sources that have hidden datasources for Parameters you’ve created. Sure, you can “unhide” those datasources and modify them. In fact, here’s an article that shows how to increase the performance of an automagically created parameter datasrouce. But if you don’t suppress the Autochanges in the original datasource, your modifications get wiped. If you don’t know this…then good luck newbs figuring out where your changes went everytime you modify an MDX datasource!
3. Cached datasets in development.
Yes it speeds the development and troubleshooting process. I am actually a fan, but that’s because I know it’s there…behind the scenes. But I understand the frustration that new report developers have when trying to figure out why their data results aren’t changing.
This should be removed, or be a big fat optional flag.
4. The option to “Build”
There is no Build. There is only Deploy. For folks familiar with a VS environment, but new to BIDS..this is confusing. You aren’t doing anything meaningful when you Build.
5. All the [Add] buttons on Property Pages
Pre SSRS 2K8, a grid view was used for property manangement. Need to add several in a row? Type, tab, Type, tab, type, tab…very easy for heads down, no mouse updating. This is what that looked like:
Starting with 2K8, the controls changed to a single button Add / Delete controls…forcing a mouse-click between each property, default or parameter change. This is what it looks like now:
That was one step back in efficiency. In fact, I remember someone mentioning this back in 2008 when this was called Katmai. 
Don’t get me wrong…it still think SQL Server Reporting Services totally rocks.
I really need to fill this out at some point. 
