About not having a filesystem...

[Don Kosak]

Well,

I don't think a regular "file system" is going to be on iOS any time soon.

The iOS system is basically a "Protected OS". Apps can't interfere with one another.

I don't need to worry about downloading "SuperJewelPopper5" and having it upload every one of my Numbers spreadsheets to some guy in Outer Mongolia who runs an identity theft ring... Apps only have access to their own file space, unless you move something there voluntarily.

Now -- I could see them adding in compliments like a file meta-data system that would let people tag files, and use an iOS function call to let people easily select files to "open" (import) into an App.

We already have iOS function calls to let you pick Photos/Camera Roll data and import it. This is just another step.

As far as a common box, with sub folders, that All Apps have free read-write access to? It's a Pandora's Box of troubles, abuse and poor usability.

The Common Filesystem is a legacy from single-tasking mainframes. It's from magnetic tape days... No need for it in the 21st century.


(Now that I wrote all of this, Steve will take the stage at WWDC and announce iOS 5 has a shared file system... LOL)

 

[ZilogZ80]

The iOS system is basically a "Protected OS". Apps can't interfere with one another.

I don't need to worry about downloading "SuperJewelPopper5" and having it upload every one of my Numbers spreadsheets to some guy in Outer Mongolia who runs an identity theft ring... Apps only have access to their own file space, unless you move something there voluntarily.

This is the only credible reason I can think of for not having a file system. Certianly makes more sense than "people wouldn't understand it"

Now -- I could see them adding in compliments like a file meta-data system that would let people tag files, and use an iOS function call to let people easily select files to "open" (import) into an App.

We already have iOS function calls to let you pick Photos/Camera Roll data and import it. This is just another step.

If this could be achieved securely for all types of files, it would be all that was necessary. Ideal solution.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

The applications of iOS in general have changed vastly since it was designed & introduced (on the iPhone). Even the iPad (in its short lifespan) has had its capabilities significantly increased since its introduction. iOS needs to evolve to keep pace, it is as simple as that.
I am not talking about iPad as a "laptop replacement" but a complimentary device.

But Apple is marketing the iPad 2 as a "post PC" device. Odd, though, that you need to connect your iPad 2 to a PC or Mac in order to use it, update the software, etc. So even "post PC" devices still need PCs. Brilliant.

What you're seeing in the market right now is a fad that will only last so long. iPhone sales have flattened now that the novelty of the product has worn off. The same will happen with iPad. The next big leap will occur when the iPad or its competitors can run a full desktop OS without sacrificing battery life or usability. Then we will have a true post PC device that can stand on its own.

 

[Mr.C]

But Apple is marketing the iPad 2 as a "post PC" device. Odd, though, that you need to connect your iPad 2 to a PC or Mac in order to use it, update the software, etc. So even "post PC" devices still need PCs. Brilliant.

What you're seeing in the market right now is a fad that will only last so long. iPhone sales have flattened now that the novelty of the product has worn off. The same will happen with iPad. The next big leap will occur when the iPad or its competitors can run a full desktop OS without sacrificing battery life or usability. Then we will have a true post PC device that can stand on its own.

I disagree with you that Apple is marketing the iPad as a "post PC" device. They are marketing it as a complimentary device to a PC or Mac. It is by no means designed to or meant to replace a regular computer and still needs access to one to function at it's best. Infect it's positioned in between a smart phone and a computer offering functions from both but not meant to replace either. The iPad is primarily a consumption device and not a production device.

 

[Night Spring]

Now -- I could see them adding in compliments like a file meta-data system that would let people tag files, and use an iOS function call to let people easily select files to "open" (import) into an App.

How is that different from the current "Open In..." system?

And how would that solve the problem of ending up with multiple versions of the same file in each app you open it in?

 

[anjinha]

But Apple is marketing the iPad 2 as a "post PC" device. Odd, though, that you need to connect your iPad 2 to a PC or Mac in order to use it, update the software, etc. So even "post PC" devices still need PCs. Brilliant.

What you're seeing in the market right now is a fad that will only last so long. iPhone sales have flattened now that the novelty of the product has worn off. The same will happen with iPad. The next big leap will occur when the iPad or its competitors can run a full desktop OS without sacrificing battery life or usability. Then we will have a true post PC device that can stand on its own.

I disagree with you that Apple is marketing the iPad as a "post PC" device. They are marketing it as a complimentary device to a PC or Mac. It is by no means designed to or meant to replace a regular computer and still needs access to one to function at it's best. Infect it's positioned in between a smart phone and a computer offering functions from both but not meant to replace either. The iPad is primarily a consumption device and not a production device.

Post PC device doesn't mean you don't need a PC. It just means we're post that era where people used their PCs for everything. You can now use tablets, smartphones, etc. to do a lot of the same tasks.

 

[Don Kosak]

How is that different from the current "Open In..." system?

"Open in" starts with the file (from a cloud drive, email attachment, etc.) and goes to an App.

The thing I suggested starts with the App, and displays a list of files on your device that have "meta data" indicating they are usable by the App. (for example, the meta data could indicate that the file is an audio file, or an image, or a text file...) The App could only access a file by displaying this "select a file" popover. When the user selected a file, iOS would move it to the application space.

And how would that solve the problem of ending up with multiple versions of the same file in each app you open it in?

That's a good point, and another problem with iOS 4.x's "no file system" approach. Right now you do end up with a lot of duplicated files since each App keeps its own copy.

One way around this would be to allow Applications to set a "non-exclusive" flag on the file. For example, a picture editing App probably doesn't care if another App "borrows" one of its pictures and changes it a bit.

(technically iOS would move those non-exclusive files to a system managed file space and just place symbolic links to the file in each of the App's document directories. To the App, it would still look like it had a local copy, but both Apps would in fact be using the same file. The OS would need to be able to handle file contention as well, since iOS is multitasking, but that's another story.)