Filenames Are Dead
While we all still use computers with hierarchically organized folders of files, where each file is known primarily by its filename, the truth is that filenames are dead. Content and meta-data based searching killed them. And it’s about time.
Okay….in reality we’ll all be using filenames still for a while, but you can take a step towards the future by equipping yourself with the best currently available search tools and don’t worry so much about the organization of your folders. Spend time instead making sure that your stuff has the appropriate metadata. Where you stick the metadata doesn’t matter so much so long as it’s an integral part of the object.
Many threads of development are pushing us towards the end of filenames. Here are some:
· X1 Desktop Search the best currently available search engine for files, contacts, e-mail, pictures and music on your PC.
· Google Desktop Search the best free currently available search engine for files, contacts, e-mail, pictures and music on your PC.
· Apple’s Tiger OS Spotlight excellent search engine for files, contacts, e-mail, pictures and music on your Mac.
· Outlook Search Folders are a full replacement for organizing mail into separate folders.
· GMail’s Labels are not quite powerful enough to really manage 2GB of e-mail, but expect them to improve as people use more of their capacity.
· Yahoo’s Flickr enables distributed metadata management of your picture collection.
Links relating to the theme:
‘Tags’ Ease Sifting of Digital Data