In quest of improved search
Microsoft competitors are hot on the trail of improved information retrieval. IBM plans to incorporate search capabilities from a research project called WebFountain in a forthcoming version of its DB2 Information Integrator. Oracle several years ago introduced into its Oracle 9i database the Internet File System, which was designed to let people search across databases and data that are typically stored in file systems such as documents and Web pages.
Microsoft also is investing in Web search technologies independent of WinFS to enhance its MSN portal and take on Web search leader Google.
Directions on Microsoft's Cherry said the technical difficulty of creating a new file system could well be one of the toughest nuts for Microsoft to crack in Longhorn -- and a likely culprit for any future delays.
"This is one of the harder things they have to implement," Cherry said. "It's not a small task. They have to come up with a great design, implement the design, and a lot of little pieces have to come into place."
One piece that's crucial to adoption of WinFS is the support of Windows software developers. People will get the benefits of the expanded search capabilities only if third-party software companies use WinFS, analysts note.
At the Professional Developers Conference, Microsoft is expected to go into greater technical detail on how developers can make use of the planned features in WinFS. For example, WinFS will have synchronisation capabilities, which will allow a person to synchronise data stored between WinFS and other data stores. The data storage system will allow developers to build security into applications.
WinFS will address concerns in how developers create applications, Muglia said. Whereas programmers had to deal with a separate data format for each type of application, WinFS provides developers with a new storage option designed to bridge all application types.
