Help me with my file storage dilemma?
I have a wide variety of information stored on my computer:
- Extensive directories on the hard disk
- Extensive hierarchies of folders in MS Outlook, and
- Extensive hierarchies of favorites in MS Internet Explorer.
I am quite dissatisfied with this arrangement because it
forces me to choose between
- maintaining the same structures in all 3 places, or
- remembering the differences whereever I am working.
I am further dissatisfied with *any* of these arrangements
because they offer only single-dimensional lists. The
actual problem domain has N dimensions, e.g.
- the logical subject-matter hierarchy (this is the way
my directories are designed today. OK no problem. but..)
- the filetype dimension. When using an application like
Excel, it expects to find all Excel files in the Excel
directory. Otherwise, it's a LOT of work to navigate.
- the file version dimension. The normal view should be
"Viewing current version only". I also require a view
of "Deleted versions" which exist in the recycle bin,
and "Not Backed Up" view so that I can make backups
easily without maintaining a huge database of file
versions in a proprietary backup product. The OS should
maintain all files in the recycle bin compressed.
- the file location dimension. This view is becoming
critical for two reasons: the problem of maintaining
replicas such as laptop computers is too labor intensive
and risky, and ADSL makes it suddenly cheaper to maintain
them in a single location remotely accessable over internet.
I haven't even talked about whats' *inside* the files,
messages and links.
Whats the solution? Do I have to migrate to Unix to
find a solution>? Are there any proprietary products
as front-end to my legacy hard drive directories? What
I need is a total replacement for Microsoft Windows Explorer
or the file system itself.
- Todd F. Boyle CPA www.isomedia.com/homes/tboyle
- International Accounting Services LLC tboyle at rosehill net
- 9745-128th Av NE, Kirkland WA 98033 (425) 827-3107
Received on Fri Jan 15 1999 - 12:39:58 CST
