One more time WinFS was buried by Microsft.

WinFS or Microsoft's most ambitious software plan to lay the groundwork for databases in Windows operating systems has been "buried" again.

This software plan was born in 1991 under the name "Cairo". This has been considered by Microsoft as an object-oriented operating system and included in Windows NT. But then Cairo was distracted when Microsoft shifted its focus to the Internet and before the rise of Apple / IBM Taligent OS.

The idea of ​​"Cairo" has returned but has been renamed WinFS and its importance remains unchanged. Microsoft sees this as "one of the three pillars" of the Longhorn operating system, and now Windows Vista.

But now the Windows idea on a database is probably hard to come true and probably will have to wait another 10 years. There is some doubt that the "Cairo" idea will never come true.

Fate of a software

Source: neuronaltraining Quentin Clark expert of the WinFS Team over the weekend said Microsoft will not release WinFS as an additional tool for Windows XP or Windows Vista.

" The above changes do not mean that we are not pursuing a standalone version of WinFS. Here I also include the WinFS Beta 2 version. With what we have been trying to do in the last time. "We want to include WinFS features in SQL and ADO.NET. We don't need to produce a standalone version of WinFS ," Clark said.

The WinFS idea (Windows File Store) is expected to help eliminate the need for a standard file and folder system. For example, the text will no longer need to be stored in the My Documents folder or images that are no longer saved to My Pictures. Instead, Windows will display the files according to specific requirements. WinFS can also store structured data such as contacts, calendar .

WinFS technology is based on Microsoft SQL Server platform, which is expected to be included in Windows Vista. However, in 2004, Microsoft announced it would no longer include this feature in Vista. This change makes many WinFS forecast analysts soon "dead".

In August 2005, Microsoft "embarrassed" the information technology community with the release of WinFS Beta 1 and announced plans to launch new file system technology. WinFS will default in Vista and also has a standalone version for users to download later. WinFS will also be integrated into the WinFX Runtime Components.

TechEd 2006 recently welcomed up to 5 sessions discussing WinFS. Besides the expectation of the entire IT community for WinFS Beta 2 version. " Finally we were able to realize a world that simplifies storage, cloning or getting information. This allows us to create new applications , "said WinFS program director Shan Sinha.

But the idea of ​​"Cairo" was officially buried when Microsoft changed its product release strategy. Microsoft currently wants to develop SQL Server into a data platform with the participation of WinFS. This means that the new file system will be released as part of another Microsoft product.

WinFS's ability to support unstructured data and administrative automation are signs for this technology to be integrated into the next version of SQL Server. The WinFS API function code will "populate" in the next version of ADO.NET.

So the end for WinFS has been put down by the nib. Clark thinks that Microsoft will only apply new technologies when the technology is fully developed. Clark also emphasized WinFS's search and data organization initiatives that were part of Windows Vista.

Hoang Dung