SQL Server 2000 vs. 2005+ sample databases to study db design?

Question

I always tried to learn using the most recent versions of SQL Server, books, articles, docs.

I started to doubt whether it is efficient. I've got a feeling that I am frequently inefficiently loosing time with learning materials based on bloated AdventureWorksXXX sample databases from SQL Server 2005+.
Even simplest principles and concepts are blurred with unwieldy query examples, results, tables, data, schemes, relations, etc. in

Would not it be better to self-study database design on much more small and observable SQL Server 2000 (Pub, Northwind) sample databases, articles, books, on-line courses?
What shall I loose with this approach?
What are the differences in database design between SQL Server 2000 and 2008 R2 to be aware?

Update:
I did not mean installing SQL Server 2000 but having Pubs+Northwind on SQL Server 2008R2 in addition to new sample databases.
Update2: always having all them installed in Windows 2008R2. This is not question how to install sample databases.

Answer 1

What are the differences in database design between SQL Server 2000 and 2008 R2 to be aware?

All of the versions since 2000 has brought us significant new capabilities, such as:

SQL Server 2005

• XML datatype and all its support features
• Support for SQL-CLR (.NET runtime embedded in SQL Server)
• Common Table Expression (CTE) support
• new datatypes VARCHAR(MAX), NVARCHAR(MAX), VARBINARY(MAX)
• TRY / CATCH based error handling

SQL Server 2008

• new DATE, DATETIME2 etc. data types
• support for things like FILESTREAM and HierarchyId
• the new MERGE statement
• table-valued parameters for stored procedures

plus probably quite a few more.

Some of those have a significant impact on what you can do with a database, and thus on how you best design your database, too.

So going back to SQL Server 2000 and pubs might be okay - but you'll be missing out on a lot of newer features and how they can make dev life a lot easier in the long run. The basics of objects like tables, indices, views, stored procs and funcs etc. are pretty much the same between SQL Server versions 2000, 2005, 2008 and 2008 R2 (except for the SQL-CLR programmability options in 2005+, obviously).