node, Windows and C++

I'm having a really hard time trying to get some node modules to install on various platforms, including:

• Windows 7;
• Windows 8.1; and
• Windows 2008 Server.

For example, if I try to run "npm install bson", on some machines the install works perfectly, but on other machines I get various arcane messages relating to C++ compile or link problems.

I've tried various SDKs, editions of Visual Studio Express, .NET frameworks in all sorts of combinations and I'm starting to doubt my own sanity.

I'm determined to get to the bottom of my immediate problem, but when I come back up for air I'm wondering why this is so crazily difficult... so my questions are:

• Are we crazy for trying to install node modules on Windows at all? Is Windows a poor cousin compared to Unix when it comes to node?
• Is there some well-tested set of reliable steps for installation the right C++ compiler stuff on Windows that someone knows about?
• Should we be avoiding all node modules that ultimately rely on a C++ compiler, i.e. should we only use node modules which are pure javascript (and all their dependencies, recursively, are pure javascript)?

Any "best practice" advice gratefully received!