WinFS is not quite dead, but mostly - bit-tech.net Forums

WilHarris · 26th Jun 2006, 11:44

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/06...ad_but_mostly/

Solidus · 26th Jun 2006, 11:58

o_O hmmmm
I didnt know much about this anyways or the benefits but i dont know if i should really care its been canned...should i? was this feature any good to us?

Risky · 26th Jun 2006, 12:22

A shame, that was a really interesting tech, but I guess it might raise its head again yet.

quack · 26th Jun 2006, 12:36

Not really much of a surprise. Microsoft didn't seem to really care about this feature from the start. It was dropped from Vista's feature set pretty early on... and now whatever was already started will be torn apart and shoved into SQL Server and ADO.NET.

Flibblebot · 26th Jun 2006, 12:47

It's a shame; while Vista will still use the desktop search engine, this means that there'll still be the cataloguing engine chugging away in the background and slowing the PC down.

WinFS negates the need for this, since every file is just a record in a database...

WinFS was supposed to be in every Windows version since Cairo (NT4?), and has been canned from every version since...and while MS "promise" that it'll be in the next version of SQL Server, I think there'd be more benefits in bring WinFS to the desktop. I don't think we'll be seeing it on the desktop any time soon

ch424 · 26th Jun 2006, 13:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flibblebot

It's a shame; while Vista will still use the desktop search engine, this means that there'll still be the cataloguing engine chugging away in the background and slowing the PC down.

WinFS negates the need for this, since every file is just a record in a database...

It'd still need to index the records, so the engine would be "chugging away" as you write files. You then have to consider what's better: indexing as you write or index when the computer's idle.

ch424

EK-MDi · 26th Jun 2006, 14:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by quack

Not really much of a surprise. Microsoft didn't seem to really care about this feature from the start. It was dropped from Vista's feature set pretty early on... and now whatever was already started will be torn apart and shoved into SQL Server and ADO.NET.

I think they do care. Otherwise they wouldn't be investing 20 years+ and still going into the project, would they?

DXR_13KE · 26th Jun 2006, 14:52

surprise surprise

doesent linuxe's EX3 work like the winFS would work?

specofdust · 26th Jun 2006, 14:54

And with that, Vista just lost the last attractive feature.

Risky · 26th Jun 2006, 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by DXR_13KE

surprise surprise

doesent linuxe's EX3 work like the winFS would work?

I've just googled and can't find much on "EX3" but in summary if there's a relational database engine at the bottom of it its like WinFS, if its jsut a matter of indexing the it ain't.

hitman012 · 26th Jun 2006, 16:24

It's ext3 and, AFAIK, it's not relational in the same way that WinFS was set to be.

olly_lewis · 26th Jun 2006, 16:37

RIP WinFS is was a good run, was'nt it? Well no it was over before it even began. It was a pipe dream of Vista and now thats its dropped it won't make a difference one bit to the consumer's work and preformance on the new OS because of the fact that a great deal of users will not know one thing about it... I doubt we will ever see it in a desktop version of windows, but maybe, someday in SQL server, but it remains doubtful that Microsoft will even bother.

Firehed · 26th Jun 2006, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by hitman012

It's ext3 and, AFAIK, it's not relational in the same way that WinFS was set to be.

I think Apple's HFS+ is a closer approximation of what WinFS would have been, but tbh I'm really guessing on that one.

I'm with spec- Vista just lost the last good thing going for it. I've had sidebars and fancy skins for years, with Samurize, Windowsblinds and now OSX. I'm sure that it will take all of ten minutes for someone to create a perfect AeroGlass skin for XP.

yahooadam · 26th Jun 2006, 22:05

pfft, so we are still going to have the same pathetic framenting file system then >_<
linux is so far ahead on the file system its not funny

Vigfus · 27th Jun 2006, 02:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by specofdust

And with that, Vista just lost the last attractive feature.

Won't stop people buying it though.

Cheap Mod Wannabe · 27th Jun 2006, 11:16

Windows have become to complex. And it is killing itself. The expectations, and responsibility of the OS is so great (well maybe no expectations no more) that Microsoft just can't play around. They are trying hard to fix that by moving to public beta testing, and those public betas could go as full fledged MS products (and patched later) like most things nowadays. I am suprised that we don't see cars being sold as a frame with engine and functional parts in it. And each morning we wake up with few GM (or other) company workers adding a door, a side or a pain layer. Hey that should help GM survive, maybe they should really do it huh? Don't you think.

And Microsoft is trying not to do that. And I apreciate that. I totally understand the lack of balls MS has right now, because world works on Windows. I think that Microsoft needs an easy project. A do it for fun version of OS let's say. Imagine. After finishing Vista developers at MS get to play on what they want. Make OS for themselves. With fun stupid things that aren't really needed (Behold PhoneBooth) but are always fun. It would be buggy as ... Hmmm Some of the games we buy for $50, however it would be awesome. And public beta people could play around with the OS. Later the best features could be merged into the REAL Windows.

"Fun Windows" could not be compatible with most old software since that is really what takes ages to do. Then people at MS could play around with implementing software without registry.

I think this sort of playground would be really helpful for Microsoft.

Sorry for a long post...

26th Jun 2006, 11:44	#1
WilHarris Just another nobody Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Oxford Posts: 2,671	WinFS is not quite dead, but mostly http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/06...ad_but_mostly/

26th Jun 2006, 11:58	#2
Solidus Superhuman Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: England Posts: 1,646	o_O hmmmm I didnt know much about this anyways or the benefits but i dont know if i should really care its been canned...should i? was this feature any good to us? __________________ I'm a n00b in need of constant h3lp! Xbox Live GT: Mephestic PSN Tag: M3phestic Twitter: Mephestic

26th Jun 2006, 12:22	#3
Risky Mod Master Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Wiltshire....for a few days more Posts: 2,276	A shame, that was a really interesting tech, but I guess it might raise its head again yet. __________________ As a rule watercooling can be simple, affordable and effective... I guess I just like to break the rules.

26th Jun 2006, 12:36	#4
quack \o/ Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: England Posts: 5,222	Not really much of a surprise. Microsoft didn't seem to really care about this feature from the start. It was dropped from Vista's feature set pretty early on... and now whatever was already started will be torn apart and shoved into SQL Server and ADO.NET. __________________ Denying Rights to Music lovers. Denying Rights to Movie lovers.

26th Jun 2006, 12:47	#5
Flibblebot Free from artificial flavourings Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Right here, right now Posts: 2,232	It's a shame; while Vista will still use the desktop search engine, this means that there'll still be the cataloguing engine chugging away in the background and slowing the PC down. WinFS negates the need for this, since every file is just a record in a database... WinFS was supposed to be in every Windows version since Cairo (NT4?), and has been canned from every version since...and while MS "promise" that it'll be in the next version of SQL Server, I think there'd be more benefits in bring WinFS to the desktop. I don't think we'll be seeing it on the desktop any time soon __________________ My uber-system: 66Mhz 486DX2, 8Mb RAM, 20Mb hard drive, 256 colour VGA adaptor (goes all the way up to 800x600!), keyboard AND serial mouse

26th Jun 2006, 14:52	#8
DXR_13KE Madeira's banana is the best!!! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Madeira ; Portugal Posts: 6,476	surprise surprise doesent linuxe's EX3 work like the winFS would work? __________________ *Renegade X - 0.40 Release!* <---- CLICK!

26th Jun 2006, 14:54	#9
specofdust Banned Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Aberdeen, UK, EU Posts: 7,618	And with that, Vista just lost the last attractive feature. __________________ Like marmite, only no-one hates it Mmm bop!

26th Jun 2006, 16:24	#11
hitman012 What is a Dremel!? Moderator Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bristol / London Posts: 4,811	It's ext3 and, AFAIK, it's not relational in the same way that WinFS was set to be. __________________ "Nothing is more practical than a good theory" - Kurt Lewin

26th Jun 2006, 16:37	#12
olly_lewis Hypermodder Join Date: May 2006 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 756	RIP WinFS is was a good run, was'nt it? Well no it was over before it even began. It was a pipe dream of Vista and now thats its dropped it won't make a difference one bit to the consumer's work and preformance on the new OS because of the fact that a great deal of users will not know one thing about it... I doubt we will ever see it in a desktop version of windows, but maybe, someday in SQL server, but it remains doubtful that Microsoft will even bother.

26th Jun 2006, 22:05	#14
yahooadam Ultra csavarkulcs Banned Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: UK Posts: 1,323	pfft, so we are still going to have the same pathetic framenting file system then >_< linux is so far ahead on the file system its not funny

27th Jun 2006, 11:16	#16
Cheap Mod Wannabe Ultramodder Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Glen Cove, NY Posts: 1,215	Windows have become to complex. And it is killing itself. The expectations, and responsibility of the OS is so great (well maybe no expectations no more) that Microsoft just can't play around. They are trying hard to fix that by moving to public beta testing, and those public betas could go as full fledged MS products (and patched later) like most things nowadays. I am suprised that we don't see cars being sold as a frame with engine and functional parts in it. And each morning we wake up with few GM (or other) company workers adding a door, a side or a pain layer. Hey that should help GM survive, maybe they should really do it huh? Don't you think. And Microsoft is trying not to do that. And I apreciate that. I totally understand the lack of balls MS has right now, because world works on Windows. I think that Microsoft needs an easy project. A do it for fun version of OS let's say. Imagine. After finishing Vista developers at MS get to play on what they want. Make OS for themselves. With fun stupid things that aren't really needed (Behold PhoneBooth) but are always fun. It would be buggy as ... Hmmm Some of the games we buy for $50, however it would be awesome. And public beta people could play around with the OS. Later the best features could be merged into the REAL Windows. "Fun Windows" could not be compatible with most old software since that is really what takes ages to do. Then people at MS could play around with implementing software without registry. I think this sort of playground would be really helpful for Microsoft. Sorry for a long post...