Meaning of filesystems (was: Re: Sysadmins)

[olafBuddenhagen]

Hi,

> If we are going to move forward with a totally persistent OS (i.e. a
> single-level-store[1] for all data),

Aside from the question whether we really *want* a totally persistent
system: The single level store doesn't directly follow from it. It
probably makes sense in such a system, but I do not see why it would be
mandatory.

> then we need to start talking about the "filesystem" as a data store
> that has objects and capabilities associated with those objects and
> get rid of the classical concept of filesystems.

Persistence only means that you do not strictly *need* filesystems; but
if you use them, the concept of a filesystem isn't really different --
only it's role in the overall system.

Having said that, I do not believe that we will go without a global
filesystem -- even if applications will never have access to all of it.

-antrik-