New Windows file system enters testing | CNET News.com

New Windows file system enters testing | CNET News.com: "The company made the test version of the system, called WinFS, available to Microsoft Developer Network subscribers. The software giant had originally planned to release WinFS--which it said would make for better desktop file searching--as part of the next version of Windows, once called Longhorn but now known as Vista. However, roughly a year ago, Microsoft announced it was pulling WinFS out of Longhorn in order to let the OS ship in 2006. Of WinFS, the company said only that it would be in beta form by the time Longhorn shipped.
That left many with the impression that a test version of the file system would not come until next year. However, a WinFS developer said he would not consider the long-delayed system to be early.
'I would certainly not characterize WinFS as being ahead of schedule,' said Quentin Clark, director of program management for the new file system.
Operating systems such as Windows, Unix, Linux and others, use file systems to organize and store information. File systems, such as Windows' current NTFS, make it possible for people and computer programs to find documents, photos and other data. "