Microsoft has released the beta of its WinFS to its
developer network. Analysts recommend looking at the technology –
which promises better desktop file searching - in test
environments.
WinFS – in which FS stands for future storage – is a file
storage subsystem rather than a file system. In effect it marries
the capabilities of Microsoft’s SQL database with the NTFS file
system so users can save and search for files across multiple
applications. Microsoft promises that WinFS will allow users to
devise queries which exploit relationships currently stifled by
information residing in discrete applications.
WinFS will help users organise data and allow applications to
auto-organise it for them. The example Microsoft gives is that
WinFS users will be able to build queries such as "show me all mail
from people I am meeting with this week.”
Teresa Jones, senior research analyst with Butler Group, said
“As a developer you need to be keeping up with new technologies.
And looking at WinFS it looks like a useful solution for bridging
between multiple applications. This potentially makes a whole lot
of applications more productive. Many people have to use multiple
applications and a way of keeping on top of them and having search
and retrieval tools which work between them would be a useful
thing. It’s definitely worth looking at its capabilities in a test
environment.”
WinFS was originally scheduled to ship with the company’s next
version of Windows – Longhorn, now known as Vista. The beta release
will work with Microsoft XP.