[...]
> Apparently "GUI lusers" can't use archiving tools.
> Which is no big deal for copying, but a pain when they want to attach
> a "compound document" to an email using they're old favourite mailer.
>
> I do think it's worth having compound documents _as files_ one way or
> another.
MIME type albod/text et al or something like that? Won't work unless
_everybody_ agrees on it. And when (if) they agree, you could also package
a directory as multiple parts in MIME, no kernel/libc/anything support
needed.
> > 2) You can use it to break down complex files into a series of less
> > complex, but related files, for applications such as word
> > processors, desktops, spreadsheets, bla bla bla. This would be
> > for the purposes of:
All those applications are perfectly able to use directories to stuff the
"complex file" into.
> > - splitting text, image, other-data(tm) streams
This means there has to be support for _arbitrary_ data structuring inside,
i.e., a full-fledged filesystem. But we have that already...
> > - embedding icons into files, and other GUI related metadata
> > storage.
Should be per-user, not per-file
> > - keeping related metadata under one 'umbrella'
> > - the example cbbrowne@godel.brownes.org proposed about
> > keeping RCS information under one file with multiple
> > forks, I admit, looks cool.
RCS does fine without this.
> You forgot one:
>
> - I'd like to invoke "gimp my_document/picture_number_1" without
> having to "export" the image first and "import" it back after
> editing.
Easy! Use a directory... works today, everywhere where gimp runs.
[...]
> You've shown why it must be implement in user space, that's all. It
> could have kernel support by way of _efficiency_ and _convenience_.
It _is_ in the kernel, it is efficient, it is convenient. It is spelled
"D I R E C T O R I E S".
-- Dr. Horst H. von Brand mailto:vonbrand@inf.utfsm.cl Departamento de Informatica Fono: +56 32 654431 Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria +56 32 654239 Casilla 110-V, Valparaiso, Chile Fax: +56 32 797513- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/