WinFS: Difference between revisions
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In [[computing]], '''WinFS''' is a [[file system]] being developed by [[Microsoft]] for use on its [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] [[operating system]]. The name originally stood for Windows Future Storage | In [[computing]], '''WinFS''' is a [[file system]] being developed by [[Microsoft]] for use on its [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] [[operating system]]. The name originally stood for Windows Future Storage. Although some people use the name to mean Windows File System, the name is not an acronym. It is jsut WinFS, like Windows NT was just NT. The NT and the WinFS do not abbreviate anything. | ||
In 1992, its precursor was called the Object File System (OFS) and was planned to be a part of the [[Cairo operating system]] [http://news.com.com/New+Windows+could+solve+age-old+puzzle/2009-1017_3-857509.html?tag=nl]. More recently, Microsoft announced that WinFS would form part of [[Windows Longhorn]], but in [[August 2004]], it was announced that in order to release Longhorn in [[2006]], it would contain WinFS in [[Development stage#Beta|beta]] form at best, with a full version being released later as an add-on or update. Subsequent statements by Microsoft imply that WinFS will not be released until [[2007]] at the earliest. [http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20041211-4454.html] | |||
Skeptics have interpreted the continually moving release date as a classic sign of [[vapourware]]. | Skeptics have interpreted the continually moving release date as a classic sign of [[vapourware]]. This is not accurate however. There are hundreds of people working on WinFS at Microsoft. It is jsut time consuming and difficult to produce software capable of revolutionizing the industry by making a new data paradigm ubiquitious. | ||
WinFS | WinFS bridges the worlds of traditional [[relational database]]s, objects, XML, and file systems of unstructured documents with the concept of [[Metadata (computing)|metadata]] over files. Rather than representing a file with a single name, WinFS aims to represent individual domain objects - e.g. e-mails, address book entries, people - with indexed and searchable context and keyword information. | ||
For example, traditional filesystems allow a user to search by the date on which a file was created - which might allow searching for when a photo was taken. However, with a WinFS system, each photo could include additional information, so that it could be searched by, for instance, who is in the picture; a set of folder-like views could then be created automatically which sorted photos by person. | For example, traditional filesystems allow a user to search by the date on which a file was created - which might allow searching for when a photo was taken. However, with a WinFS system, each photo could include additional information, so that it could be searched by, for instance, who is in the picture; a set of folder-like views could then be created automatically which sorted photos by person. Face recognicion software has been in the works for years and has a wide variety of benifits, such as helping deaf and hard of hearing people read lips. It would be natural to eventually pair WinFS and such software. | ||
The system is | The system is based on a combination of the next version of [[Microsoft SQL Server]] 2005, codenamed ''Yukon'', and an underlying [[NTFS]] filesystem, and will provide access to data through both traditional native Win32 file-based [[Application Programming Interface|APIs]] and CLR object-based approaches. | ||
The | The objects stored in WinFS can be queried by a new query language named OPath. OPath is roghly equilivant of TSQL, bu tis designed to operate on objects rather on relations. | ||
There are also other advantages, such as sharing data types among the Windows shell and other applications. | The metadata will be described in schemas, although not [[W3C]] [[XSD]] schemas. [[W3C]] [[XSD]] schemas cannot sufficiently describe relational data and object data. These schemas will define most of the common objects like documents, music files, email messages. Third party software vendors can define their own schemas. Microsoft claims that these operating system recognizable schemas will boost the querying and searching capabilities of the operating system. | ||
There are also other advantages, such as sharing data types among the Windows shell and other applications. In a way, this will enable a user to own their data rather than having data tied almost exclusively to the application that created it. | |||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
Revision as of 19:37, 22 March 2005
In computing, WinFS is a file system being developed by Microsoft for use on its Windows operating system. The name originally stood for Windows Future Storage. Although some people use the name to mean Windows File System, the name is not an acronym. It is jsut WinFS, like Windows NT was just NT. The NT and the WinFS do not abbreviate anything. In 1992, its precursor was called the Object File System (OFS) and was planned to be a part of the Cairo operating system [1]. More recently, Microsoft announced that WinFS would form part of Windows Longhorn, but in August 2004, it was announced that in order to release Longhorn in 2006, it would contain WinFS in beta form at best, with a full version being released later as an add-on or update. Subsequent statements by Microsoft imply that WinFS will not be released until 2007 at the earliest. [2]
Skeptics have interpreted the continually moving release date as a classic sign of vapourware. This is not accurate however. There are hundreds of people working on WinFS at Microsoft. It is jsut time consuming and difficult to produce software capable of revolutionizing the industry by making a new data paradigm ubiquitious.
WinFS bridges the worlds of traditional relational databases, objects, XML, and file systems of unstructured documents with the concept of metadata over files. Rather than representing a file with a single name, WinFS aims to represent individual domain objects - e.g. e-mails, address book entries, people - with indexed and searchable context and keyword information.
For example, traditional filesystems allow a user to search by the date on which a file was created - which might allow searching for when a photo was taken. However, with a WinFS system, each photo could include additional information, so that it could be searched by, for instance, who is in the picture; a set of folder-like views could then be created automatically which sorted photos by person. Face recognicion software has been in the works for years and has a wide variety of benifits, such as helping deaf and hard of hearing people read lips. It would be natural to eventually pair WinFS and such software.
The system is based on a combination of the next version of Microsoft SQL Server 2005, codenamed Yukon, and an underlying NTFS filesystem, and will provide access to data through both traditional native Win32 file-based APIs and CLR object-based approaches.
The objects stored in WinFS can be queried by a new query language named OPath. OPath is roghly equilivant of TSQL, bu tis designed to operate on objects rather on relations.
The metadata will be described in schemas, although not W3C XSD schemas. W3C XSD schemas cannot sufficiently describe relational data and object data. These schemas will define most of the common objects like documents, music files, email messages. Third party software vendors can define their own schemas. Microsoft claims that these operating system recognizable schemas will boost the querying and searching capabilities of the operating system.
There are also other advantages, such as sharing data types among the Windows shell and other applications. In a way, this will enable a user to own their data rather than having data tied almost exclusively to the application that created it.
See also
External links
- WinFS information from Microsoft's MSDN site.
- WinFS 101 - an official introductory article on the concept.
