Kirk Marple asks about WinFS being an “
object storage layer over top of terabytes of geographically distributed files.” This is one of the scenarios we are thinking about. In my
explanation of WinFS, I talked about schemas that are “likely to be used for file backed items most of the time.” The idea is that the schema doesn't dictate if it is a file backed item or not (file backedness isn't part of the type). That allows for situations where you have the object, but want to point to a file in a different location. Of course, this leads to
synchronization issues but is acceptable in many circumstances.
Feedback
11/17/2003 7:42 AM
# re: Items Without Files
What do you see as the future of WinFS moving past Longhorn. I had an idea for an OS at one point and I see WinFS as being a provider for the ideas that I was thinking about.
I thought that the user would benefit by an Uninstall trigger being placed on start menu items when they go to delete it. This could also be done with the directory where the application is installed. So if the user chooses to delete the Program directory, Windows will pop up a screen and say "Hey you wanna uninstall this properly?", or even just do it automatically. Maybe even update the recycle bin to do reinstalls and stuff like that.
Along the same lines I thought that representing an application using a proxy file. So you have MyApplication.app, and it is an Item that represents an entire application (probably a few logistics to work out here). Then if you wanted to uninstall you would delete that file and boom uninstall trigger goes off. If you copy the file from one machine to another it will set off the install trigger. It is just a mental thing that I think stumps people a lot when they think "What is a program?" and "What is Data?" And I think that any cues that the OS can bring out, the better.
Other things I thought of is file associations being separated into sub-associations like Editor and Viewer. This is somewhat done in Windows now with the context menu, but maybe there could be something that prompts the user in a non-interrupting way to show them that they can edit with one program and view with another.
A saved game store for games would be nice too. Every game developer is different about where they want to place the saved games. I think if there was something similar to the Xbox where all the saved games were in one place you could uninstall and reinstall the application without having to worry if the uninstall program is deleting your games.
Ok, gonna stop rambling on your feedback section.
11/17/2003 8:13 AM
# re: Items Without Files
Gp, I encourage you to check out the application model sections of the Longhorn SDK. Go to http://longhorn.msdn.microsoft.com and search for "application model."
11/17/2003 8:21 AM
# re: Items Without Files
Cool, thanks for the link. That is definitely the same path that I am along.
6/1/2004 12:37 PM
# re: Items Without Files
hgh
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