sets against folders in filesystems

maccatalan_at_maccatalan.net
Date: 12/28/04

  • Next message: W.J. van Hoeve: "Re: CFP: CP-AI-OR 2005: Second call for papers" 
    Date: 27 Dec 2004 22:11:18 -0800

    Hello all.

    I don't know if this has been already done but what about replacing the
    usual hierarchical file organization by a one level files and then
    using sets to gather and navigate throught them ? (with all the boolean
    operations)
    Moreover this approach is compatible with the usual folder hierarchy.

    Nota Bene: files can have the same name. They are identified by a
    unique ID (the I-Node location for example if using I-Nodes)

    About replacing the folder paradigm, do you know anyother intents like
    that ? What has been experimented to replace folders in a user
    interface ?

    Nota Bene2: Apple, Microsoft and Google are all working on a new
    approach to file access through search. Doesn't sets make more sense in
    such a context ? I think that this will be the next step (at least this
    is what I claim for a few years now).

    An Example:
    --------------

    The *.set files contain the description of a set.

    here are my files:
    ID FileName
    0 vi
    1 user1.set
    2 myText.txt
    3 example.pdf
    ... ...
    50 myText.txt
    ... ...
    N theLastFile

    if we type the command "ls myText.txt", we get :

    2 myText.txt
    50 myText.txt

    but now let's suppose that myText.txt (2) belongs to the set
    "filesystems.set" which is one of the set belonging to the set
    "papers.set".

    Then if we type "ls myText.txt * papers.set" we should get :

    2 myText.txt
    50 myText.txt

    he he, I forgot that myText.txt (50) belongs to the set "badhumor.set"
    which also belongs to "papers.set".

    So let's type : "ls -r filesystems.set * papers.set" (the -r means
    recursive to see the inside of belonging sets).
    The intersection (*) with "papers.set" is necessary because the set
    "filesystems.set" is also used by the OS to store the modules for FS
    features (since these files are modules and part of the system a may to
    acceed to them would be "ls ( filesystem.set * system.set ) *
    modules.set").

    2 myText.txt
    8 article.tex
    53 article.log
    65 article.pdf
    12 example.set
    13 fs.cpp
    14 file.cpp
    15 design.txt
    7 test

    Note Bene, this is very similar to : "ls (filesystems.set * papers.set)
    + (example.set * filesystems.set)".

    to open "myText.txt" (2) with VI we could type either :
    vi (myText.txt * filesystems.set)
    or
    vi %myText.txt
    where % refers to the last listed or browser set
    union/intersection/complement.

    This example doesn't fully shows or exploits a set-based FS but I guess
    that with your talent and imagination you can see and guess how
    powerful that is. ;-)

    So I repeat my questions to be clear :

    has been this already done ?
    is there any other unconventional (not folders) way to organise files
    that has been explored ?
    Thank you very much for reading (and answering if you can),
    Pierre.

  • Next message: W.J. van Hoeve: "Re: CFP: CP-AI-OR 2005: Second call for papers"

    Relevant Pages

    • Re: Access Denied Error
      ... The problem only seams to happen on a Shared folder. ... belongs to Admistrators group,system or Everyone, It works. ... And I'm talking about under Share Permissions and Security for that share ... >> Under the Member of tab there is my user name with Administrators ...
      (microsoft.public.sqlserver.security)
    • Re: Another Dumb Windows Question
      ... installation disk, expand it, put it where it belongs (system32 ... folder) and got my clock back. ...
      (rec.audio.pro)
    • Re: Re-asked: Folder Redirection/Roaming Profiles W2k/W2K3 Migration
      ... You have to redirect the folder back to where it belongs. ... Setting the policy ... >> Folder Redirection setting to Not Configured. ...
      (microsoft.public.windows.group_policy)
    • Locate and move files
      ... "DT[2006" is the string to look for in files that belongs in the 2006 ... folder. ... all this files sorted to the right destination as easy as possible. ...
      (comp.unix.shell)