Welcome! :)
- FAQs regarding extended attributes on the filesystem (Linux/Mac/Win)
- More FAQs about Object Storage, Schema-evolution, etc. will follow.
Here we're building a very simple, yet powerful environment that can digest "Meta+Data Objects" in clever ways. Based on already existing FOSS components that we try to orchestrate to each other.
And simply make use of "name=value" tags in the filesystem (where filename and path are stored); and using that filesystem directly as database.
And it's as accessible and easy as "simply putting a letter in a filename/path"
The following image is a screenshot of a prototype setup: It shows a 0-Byte "file" being tagged to contain references to "other Objects". And that 0-Byte file having a title itself: Fully performing as a database entry.
TL;DR:
AHAlodeck is not only about re-introducing extended file attributes. It starts with using xattrs, and going towards a filesystem which graph-node capabilities and more.
If I'm correct, then I may introduce a change for anyone dealing with digital data, comparable to going beyond 8.3 uppercase-only ASCII characters in a filename (1995), to Object Oriented programming and responsive design: Using common, existing filesystem features. 😄️
It is incredibly simple and feels very useful already in early prototype components.
Just imagine being able to "tag" (somekey=somevalue) any file and folder:
Right-Click-Edit-Metadata.
What I am suggesting is to use existing FOSS-licensed technologies designed for storing and managing modern (even big) data. And really letting go of files-in-folders with excel sheets and incompatible databases and embedded metadata to a data-design and handling, making use of proper Object Storage environment's capabilities.
- Simply, putting metadata with the data: Where it belongs.
- And draw relationships right with others of those same "Meta+Data Objects".
- And support (de)referencing any kind of "link" information.
Even supporting torrent magnet-links for options like having light-or-heavy Data Object manifestations. On the fly. ;)
Welcome.
This is ongoing research-and-development.
In fact, we're mainly starting with using xattrs and plan to patch existing code to provide on-board features for working with seriously-used "xattrs" - and going Object Storage, Swift, Apache Iceberg, Sparql, Recoll, etc.
If you have good answers to the questions asked in the following image, please let us know:
If your job is to care-or-know where which of what metadata goes with what "Object" where - and why: And where it is all stored and accessed digitally, you've come to the right place. This is what we're trying to finally make it fun again.