The ServerSide.NET asks a question that's been on my mind lately, “Whatever happened to WinFS?”
When I first heard about a relation file store replacing the tried and true file system, I must admit that I was quite sceptical.
After seeing the Channel9 video demos (almost 2 years ago), I have to admit that the idea grew on me.
The more I thought about it, the more excited I was to have the power of a relational file store on my desktop and baked into the OS.
Imagine, source code control for all your files, among some of the more interesting aspects of having meta data attached to all kinds of data files.
No more frantic phone calls from non-computer literate relatives worried about having deleted a file and emptying the recycle bin.
But now, the dream seems to have faded.
I knew that WinFS was off to a bumpy start when it was not to be included with Vista.
Quentin Clark of the WinFS team wrote on the team's blog:
As most people who read this blog know, WinFS has always been about many things – a new model to enrich how users manage information, rich storage technology, and sometimes also a packaging of technology. The real change I am addressing today is in the packaging strategy.
Change in packaging strategy? Sounds like the project's being shelved.
Other technical work in the WinFS project is at a similar point – specifically the integration of unstructured data into the relational database, and automation innovations that make the database "just work" with no DBAs – "richer store" work.
Now he's gotten my attention and concern.
While the idea of a “it just works“ database sounds quite appealing, the consequences are also quite appalling.
MS Access “just works“ and it's become the backbone of far too many solutions.
There are a lot of firms out there already that don't beleive they need a DBA and they shove developers into that role.
He continues:
These changes do mean that we are not pursuing a separate delivery of WinFS, including the previously planned Beta 2 release. With most of our effort now working towards productizing mature aspects of the WinFS project into SQL and ADO.NET, we do not need to deliver a separate WinFS offering.
So, basically, the codebase for WinFS will be reused and repurposed inside of other database offerings.
Well, that's nice, but what about the idea of a relational file system?
What about all those cool. useful, awe inpsiring demos?
What the heck happened?
Quentin closes out the post with:
Since WinFS is no longer being delivered as a standalone software component, people will wonder what that means with respect to the Windows platform. Just as Vista pushed forward on many aspects of the search and organize themes of the Longhorn WinFS effort, Windows will continue to adopt work as it's ready.
We will continue working the innovations, and as things mature they will find their way into the right product experiences – Windows and otherwise. Having so much ready for SQL Server and ADO.NET is a big impact on the platform, and more will come.
So, WinFS may resurface at a later date, based on whether or not Windows will evolve in that direction?
I'm sure there's a lot more to this decision than what's been made public, but it seems even this “WinFS is shelved/dead“ post is a bit ambivalent about the future of this technology.
The reaction in the blogosphere has been mixed.
Gizmodo is somewhat neutral.
Robert McLaws isn't happy, yet Dare Obasanjo is releived
“So that's it, no more WinFS. This is the right decision, albeit two years too late but better late than never. It's sad to think about the projects that got killed or disrupted because of WinFS only for this to happen. “
Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.
Tags: WinFS Vista SQL Server Katmai Orcas Microsoft