Re: metadata (was Re: hey Simon et al)

[mjmahon@aol.com (Michael J. Mahon)]

Sheldon Simms replied:

>On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 22:41:48 +0000, Michael J. Mahon wrote:
>
>> Matthew Russotto wrote:
>> 
>>>In article <pan.2004.03.23.20.49.55.469066@yahoo.com>,
>>>Sheldon Simms  <sheldonsimms@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> 
>> <snip>
>> 
>>>>letters at the end of a file determine it's destiny? I think UNIX and
>>>>equivalents have the right idea: A file is a file is a file. Let tphe
>>>>programs figure out what to do with it - the name is for the user, not
>>>>the OS.
>>>
>>>Unfortunately, DOS/Windows have dragged the world down to their level
>>>on this point.
>> 
>> Since a file is generally a formatted object, I can see real value in
>> incorporating the type of format into the filename in a relatively
>> standard way.
>
>This is way of topic of course but...
>
>But why the filename? Why not have Macintosh-type file metadata that
>is (unlike the Mac) easily accessible? File metadata can be more than
>just a filetype. I can image things like:
>
>]cat
> Name       Type    Date       Time       Size
> myprog     s       03/24/04   22:43.23   12.2 kb

<snip>

Clearly, there is no disputing tastes...

But I would ask, why _not_ the filename?

Whenever you talk about a file, you use its name, and one attribute
of the file which is _very_ useful in any description is its type.

I could say, "Then edit P3291 (a JPEG) in your favorite photo editor",
or I could say, "Then edit P3291.jpg in your favorite photo editor."

I seldom talk to people about files without specifying the type of
the file, since to do otherwise invites confusion or ambiguity.
Therefore, far from being a problem, having the type manifest in
the name is a real benefit.

The other examples of metadata attributes are useful attributes,
but easily dispensed with in most descriptive prose.

That's what I have become accustomed to, and it doesn't cause
me any problems.

I should point out that NTFS generalizes the concept of file metadata
and forks to an arbitrary number of parallel data streams, having any
meaning that you (or your application) choose to associate with them.
This is certainly not "free", since the directory structures and disk
allocations must be made, but it invites endless invention.  (Just
something to think about for those who feel "constrained" by
Microsoft software.  ;-)

-michael

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