[moonmonkey]

If Panther has this capability in the finder, what immediate benifits are there?

Impressive examples needed!

[nickm]

Being able to change the filename without changing the application that opens the file?

Being able to get a file via email or the web and have the MIME type actually used rather than discarded?

Fewer "application can't be found" dialogs?

[CharlesS]

Being able to have four text files, one of which opens in Word, one of which opens in TextEdit, one of which opens in BBEdit, and one of which opens in Safari.

[lookmark]

If a new database-driven FS w/ rich metadata makes it into Panther, here's some potential possibilities:

- Lightning-fast, live searches of your HD.

- File attributes such as ID tags (for MP3s) or EXIF (for digital photos) will be poured directly into the Finder, and can be used to be searched or sorted.

- Multiple app bindings for similar file types (see above).

- Think OS 9 Labels, times a thousand.

The big question is how to design an interface for handling such a vast array of possibilites. Maybe the full extent of this will have to wait until 10.4, but anyone can do it with style, it's Apple.

[smeger]

One of the best uses for metadata is custom views. For example, with metadata in the filesystem, you can apply arbitrary labels to your files, like "Web Design", "School", "Art", "Misc" and then get views of all of the files on your drive that contain any combination of the tags you've used.

Well, to be honest, this isn't just dependent on metadata, but also on a database-like filesystem. I assume that if Apple implements one, they'll implement the other.

You can also link files together by placing a reference to one into the metadata of the other.

[moonmonkey]

Originally posted by CharlesS:
Being able to have four text files, one of which opens in Word, one of which opens in TextEdit, one of which opens in BBEdit, and one of which opens in Safari.

I can do that with Jaguar (rubishly), I just set each file to always open with...

[macmike42]

Oh no, not this again...

The Finder has metadata support now. If a file is saved with a creator and type (which has always been possible in Carbon and has been possible directly in Cocoa since 10.2), you can change the filename without changing which application it opens in. Mac OS X just happens to also support file extensions as well.

Apple "requires" file extensions since otherwise Windows users get confused. It's not the best solution, but it is the most realistic.

Also, every application bundle contains an "Info.plist" file which is extensible metadata in XML format describing what files and URLs the application can open, the application's signature, what services it provides, etc, etc...

If, OTOH, you are talking about a database-driven filesystem (which I don't think we'll get with Panther), that would be very cool, and would provide you with lightning-fast, automatically updating searches that no longer need to crawl directory trees.

Finally, it should be noted that you are probably asking for "more" metadata. Every file system has metadata. Filenames are metadata. Modification dates are metadata. Technically even parent directory ID's are metadata. Only the file's actual data is not metadata. Metadata means basically means "data about data".

[- - e r i k - -]

The best example of ID-tag and the cool stuff you can do with it is iTunes 3 and its smart playlists.

Imagine adding just about any tag to describe your files. Author, version history, content summary, datatype, labels, deadline (wouldn't that be cool?), importancy ranking, heck even a one to five star rating.

Now imagine creating smart folders, just like the smart playlists in iTunes. You can set a folder to live updating all files with the word 'sexy nude chicks' in them modified in the last month with the rating of 4-5 stars.

OK, that's just some of the cool things you'd be able to do with a fully journaled metatagged file system like the one that BeOS had.

[moonmonkey]

Originally posted by macmike42:
Oh no, not this again...

I know you like talking about it.