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Microsoft Needs to Bring This Project Back From the Dead

Microsoft should return to one of its most controversial projects: WinFS

March 28, 2018
How to Rename Multiple Files at Once

Over the years, there have been numerous ideas about how to improve Microsoft's Windows OS, particularly the desktop.

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Windows 95's so-called "Active Desktop" was probably one of the most ambitious ideas. It allowed users to incorporate active items onto their desktop: changing images, cam streams, or anything that was an HTML page. I used this to display an overhead satellite image of weather patterns and numerous webcam feeds.

The feature continued into Windows XP but it was so buggy that I ultimately gave up on it, although I recall thinking it was cool at the time.

Windows 95 also incorporated taskbar scaling in response to the one found on the Macintosh. Microsoft couldn't really math Apple here, but you could make the taskbar three times larger in height than what we have today.

Once Microsoft decided to optimize for smaller screens with Windows 8, we got an OS more suited to a tablet or a phone. (What phone?)

Microsoft should rethink the desktop OS which, if you haven't noticed, is kind of moribund.

That is true despite the PC's decline. Microsoft should go back to the pre-Vista era and take seriously one of its most controversial projects: WinFS, which was to become the most modern of all file systems.

The idea was to develop a file system with a relational database mechanism. Are you looking within all your documents for the words "relational database mechanism?" You'd be lucky to find anything. Type it in the WinFS search box and its location(s) come up instantly

If you read the history of this product, you must wonder why the basics were not used on Windows in some useful way. It was either impractical, too hard to implement, involved some sketchy licensing, or was over Microsoft's head All I know is WinFS was another great idea kicked to the curb.

I could go on with other tossed away programs from a incredible photo-editing tool that did marvelous warping, the free Microsoft games like Pinball that are missing in action, Microsoft Money, the programs within the realm of the defunct Microsoft Home, Outlook Journal, and other goodies. All gone.

Why did we bother learning any of these programs in the first place? Why can't Microsoft—or any company—either keep the legacy code online or at least release it as public domain so the community can support it as an open-source project. Who does that? Nobody does. Why is that? Nobody knows.

Welcome to the world of high tech.

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About John C. Dvorak

Columnist, PCMag.com

John C. Dvorak is a columnist for PCMag.com and the co-host of the twice weekly podcast, the No Agenda Show. His work is licensed around the world. Previously a columnist for Forbes, PC/Computing, Computer Shopper, MacUser, Barrons, the DEC Professional as well as other newspapers and magazines. Former editor and consulting editor for InfoWorld, he also appeared in the New York Times, LA Times, Philadelphia Enquirer, SF Examiner, and the Vancouver Sun. He was on the start-up team for C/Net as well as ZDTV. At ZDTV (and TechTV) he hosted Silicon Spin for four years doing 1000 live and live-to-tape TV shows. His Internet show Cranky Geeks was considered a classic. John was on public radio for 8 years and has written over 5000 articles and columns as well as authoring or co-authoring 14 books. He's the 2004 Award winner of the American Business Editors Association's national gold award for best online column of 2003. That was followed up by an unprecedented second national gold award from the ABEA in 2005, again for the best online column (for 2004). He also won the Silver National Award for best magazine column in 2006 as well as other awards. Follow him on Twitter @therealdvorak.

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