filesystems / links / file types

[Jan Tisje]

hi,

Which filesystems will reactOS support? 
The current version just understands FAT, somewhere I read you plan NTFS.

but, why?

wouldn't it be much better to use ext2/ext3 or similar?

Pro
- ext2 is well documented
- free drivers
- stable, not subject to continuos change like  NTFS
- apps should not care about the underlying FS
- simple and reliable rights management
- links (see below)
- interaction with linux systems should be much easier

Contra
- cannot be read by NT
One is not required to use ext2 for all ReactOS partitions. probably
only for system partition....
- disk maintainace apps will not work. 
but they will not work on ReactOS at all in the near future, will they?

the links... 
one serious drawback of windows is the lack of "real" links.

ever tried to use links as if they were the real files? 
it simple does not work most of the times. this really is annoying.

what ever filesystem chosen, these links should be implemented on top of
it. 
problem is, the "on top impl" is the cause, why windows links do not
work. so this must be implemented within the file system, which will
probably violate the filesystem spec. 
(perhaps some reserved fields are left, eh?)

best way to implement would be, to introduce a file type field within
the filesystem. 
with this, the old and very bad way of using file extensions may be
overcome...
think about mime types, or app identifier....

enough ideas to discuss?

Jan

[robert K.]

Jan Tisje wrote:
> hi,
>
> Which filesystems will reactOS support? 
> The current version just understands FAT, somewhere I read you plan NTFS.
>
> but, why?
>
> wouldn't it be much better to use ext2/ext3 or similar?
>
> Pro
> ext2 is well documented
> free drivers
> stable, not subject to continuos change like  NTFS
> apps should not care about the underlying FS
> simple and reliable rights management
> links (see below)
> interaction with linux systems should be much easier

In some way this is already done. Since there exist a project for ext3 
and resierfs NT-IFS we are waiting for them to become productive
Hard-links are part of NTFS for ages. And we have to use ACLs with no 
exception.
> Contra
> cannot be read by NT
>
> One is not required to use ext2 for all ReactOS partitions. probably
> only for system partition....
> disk maintainace apps will not work.
>
> but they will not work on ReactOS at all in the near future, will they?
>
> the links... 
> one serious drawback of windows is the lack of "real" links.
>
> ever tried to use links as if they were the real files? 
> it simple does not work most of the times. this really is annoying.
>
> what ever filesystem chosen, these links should be implemented on top of
> it. 
> problem is, the "on top impl" is the cause, why windows links do not
> work. so this must be implemented within the file system, which will
> probably violate the filesystem spec. 
> (perhaps some reserved fields are left, eh?)
>
> best way to implement would be, to introduce a file type field within
> the filesystem. 
> with this, the old and very bad way of using file extensions may be
> overcome...
> think about mime types, or app identifier....
>
> enough ideas to discuss?
>
> Jan
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