The next version of SQL Server will have FORMAT() function http://sqlblog.com/blogs/aaron_bertrand/archive/2011/08/09/sql-server-v-next-denali-ctp3-t-sql-enhancements-format.aspx


>T-SQL really makes you jump through hoops sometimes, doesn't it? Even getting the date portion of a datetime is verbose and ugly. It mystifies that it hasn't been simplified by now.