Many people have adopted iPads and long for it to have a file system. They did not really have a choice if they want to be in the Apple eco-system.

When we talk about “adopters” these are people who make a choice to do something.

Adapters would be a more accurate description.

I can’t understand the mentality of people who don’t use file systems.

e.g. if I’m organising my holiday, I want to store all the files in one folder, e.g. PDF’s of airline ticket bookings, Excel sheets with hotel info, MS Word docs of letters I write relating to the holiday. You get the drift. So how crazy would that be if all my files, for this particular holiday, are mixed into all my files on my computer. This is lunacy. Do people live like that? No way am I going to lock myself into Apple’s system. I need to keep my files ready to jump ship if Apple, in a few years time, loses the plot.

Also this “file-system thing” may begin to explain the reason Apple began pulling away from file servers. We are getting to the point where we are all not going to need them with the demise of the Filing system on iOS. Every time I begin to do my work on my iPad rather than on my desktop Mac, I have to stop and plan out how it is doable on the iPad. Once these methods are worked out in my head. I have found that the desktop is no longer needed with the exception of maintenance of the Apple server that I have to manage for my facility. With the use of two programs on the iPad, even illustrator can be thrown out for the work we do on Posters, Flyers, etc. Even the problem with different fonts in Pages can be gotten around using software such as Inkpad. We are all having to learn a new way of doing our computer work with iOS, so we must take a little more time and Think creatively.

Perhaps, “Think Different”.

However, the benefit of starting an idea or project in Keynotes or iDraw on my iOS device and finalizing it on the Desktop is a wonderful value. And beats lugging around a laptop.

Definitely, limited the device is, yet powerful enough also to get hints started.

I don’t watch cable or satellite tv. The iMac/AV is the television/gaming/computer of the future. Make it 55 inches and it has the world beat. I will buy shows from iTunes if I am truly bored. Where is Breaking Bad Season 5? I feel bad. LOL.

Now get off my lawn!

iOS will mature and OSX will adopt some of the simpler ways found in iOS. Does a non-pro user need file systems. NO. iOS already proves this.

Is iOS efficient for heavy load work – hell no.

Text Edit – can version track changes of a file, this would be wonderful in iOS – but then again will that be needed – nope.

Apple is really about bringing simplicity to computing in a powerful way. No other company seems dedicated to venture on that path. Ease of use. Clean, simple, beautiful yet powerful.

Thankfully, the troll can only ever suck IQ points from a person once, so it sometimes takes a long time before the next crap reality TV debuts. But they’ve learned how to make these shows popular, so they make it up in volume now.

What do you expect, a Photoshop layered file opening up in Pixelmator with perfect accuracy then saving it from Pixelmator again perfectly intact to open again in Photoshop… wow thats a dream.

But TRACKING your latest copy… hmmm interesting point.

Okay perhaps this is where iCloud could come into better use. A way to Backup your documents from your specific applications. But you are not going to share your iDraw file with your father…. look Happy Birthday Dad!!! You will Export it – most likely as a Jpeg. Yet, lets say your work does use iDraw on the Mac, you could share a SVG file or a raw native iDraw file as you hoped… via iCloud or direct wifi link.

This depends what you are dealing with ofc.

A Jpeg – who cares, what you open it with but a layered iDraw native file will not open in anything but iDraw.

Keynotes, Numbers, Pages are great examples also, yet can produce Offcie compatible files – yet you are not SPEAKING of compatibility – more of native raw file formats.

Please, do not confuse proficiency and efficiency with ease of use or ease of understanding.

don;t mess with him, though. he’ll electro.. oh wait- i mean he’ll 3L3C7R0 you!

What is being debated is – one day as in IOS, is there a need for File Systems understanding to the USER in OSX?
Simply no, iOS has proven this theory by it’s success.

How efficient and usable this is; is an entirely different story.

Nevertheless, what is easier is; is the USER can forget all about file systems and naming conventions, extensions and file formats and even no longer worry or wonder where the file is stored. Simplicity is made beautiful.

Regarding your ideas:

1- create a simple file in TEXT EDIT, name it “test” on your desktop
2 – open “test” with OPEN OFFICE, make a change and save it
3 – you will see that your file saves not as the ORIGINATING app did, try this in reverse as well – you maybe asked to over-write the file due to the name yet you will be creating a OPENOFFICE .RDT file – capable to open within TEXT EDIT… yet it is the system that controls the ICON appearance and the application selected to OPEN WITH. The creator will be OPEN OFFICE… check for yourself.

x-axis is measure of TIME SPENT to learning or understanding.
y-axis is measure of COMPREHENSION

The plotted line appears curved DUE the constant of TIME spent learning (the x-axis continually moves) unless the person quits entirely. But a curve appears upwardly or downwards VERTICAL movement – up being BETTER UNDERSTOOD. Down being help I need someone to explain. Like you el Tritoma!!!!!!!

Its idiotic.. I sync a video to VLC, and want to play it in CineXplayer, I have to sync another copy into CineXplayer. Totally lame.
“Open In” is just a 1/2 ass excuse to get around this need,.

Which way do you rather this occurring?
Up and Down are verticals for me.

And this is easier than multiple apps being able to work on (edit) a single copy of the file on the device… how? On the same device, you now have to track and remember which app has the latest copy.

Locally, 3rd party apps can open (read-only) or copy files from another 3rd party app via custom URL, but it seems an app can’t write into the sandbox of another app.

You are suggestion short cuts or alias on a task bar or dock is FILE SYSTEM MANAGE?

Oh my, help I want off this PLANET.
No wonder the non-pros adopted iOS so easily… wait – I will make an alias on the desktop because I do not understand folder structures or where i put my real file.

Your situation is has to do with WVM.
Windows 7 pins Explorer to the Task bar on installation – its not Apple doing this. Apple would rather you use OSX.

Hmmmm, yes I see a directory being partially part of file management but again not the “file system”.
EXTENSION NAMES are – and are directly related to the originating creator to the file. Click the the file it opens in the appropriate application. Choose to change this and confuse everyone in your family… but the selection to do this is limited to the choice of file types.

Example. PREVIEW can open EPS files – but it converts them to PDFs on the initial import. The file is systematically handled not by the USER… preview deals with it entirely. However, one could force all EPS to open strictly into Photoshop or Pixelmator where “you highlight a file and right click, choose Open With” and set it differently then what was intended originally. Originally because of File Systems… extension names and application restrictions and storage locations.

Fsck your snotty, arrogant attitude. Who the hell are you tell someone their curiosity and tinkering is a waste of time? Poking around, exploring and *learning* software (or anything else) is a far better use of time than plopping your ass in front of a TV playing video games or watching Jersey Shore.

Regarding your comment; Work can be done – but it is not the best way to effectively work – yet that depends also who is using it and what work is being handled – isn’t it.

On the desktop, the lack of a “Save As” option in iWorks apps makes it HARDER for me to keep tabs on documents I create. And no, “Save A Version” is not the same thing. Without the ability to name the copy something useful that would differentiate it from it’s “previous version” cousins, I’m stuck reading the entire document to see what the differences are…. a waste of time.

With the exception of email, I never create content on my iPhone, so don’t see the need for a file system there.

if the Mac OS denied us the ability to create/save/edit/manage/share files outside of application corrals, then we would likely divorce ourselves from future Mac use. There is simply too much file manipulation we do on multiple applications or using the Finder or Finder enhancements to allow such a stupid paradigm for computing. iOS is not designed for professional-level work, and it never will be. If you attempt to merge iOS and Mac OS, you will get something that resembles MS Windows 8, which is hideous and turns off both professionals and the new core market target, dumbass consumers.

A Vice President System Operations Manager at many companies are emailing Clients and Employees all day.
Please inform them they are not working or doing their jobs?

Secretaries and Lawyers and anyone who emails…
ha ha – you tell them Ubermac but be careful what you say.

Do you have an iPhone? Salesmen believe they are working?
The phone is their computer.

iOS — USERS do not require the knowledge of a file system.

The question comes to Mac users now… so once the day comes where OSX is more like iOS – will you be playing fames or working?

I agree with you here on ONE point.
iOS is perfect for those who really are not pro-users.
The simplification of saving and handling files is opaque in iOS to most; and rightfully so. There is always a file management system – yes, its strictly for the SYSTEM… but the key words here is USER.

USERS really do not need to understand or bother with file manage and system – IOS is living proof of this. Users of all ages just use the device and have no idea or worry about files and where they are located or stored – nor are they worried what programs created it and what will open the file. That is part of the beauty and simplification of the system.

Right you are; a file system will always be needed but not for the USER, rather for the system itself and the application.

In OSX, files have extension names and those names directly relate to the application which the file was created.
The extensions also are seen by 3rd party apps which did not create the originating file yet the extension is recognized and capable of being used by a different application. The concept still exists in iOS but performed slightly different. As the user is confronted with an option to EXPORT, SHARE, or TRANSFER files beyond the originating application.

One could argue this is exactly what ONE does in Photoshop to prepare files for web i.e.(png or eps for say quark use) or whatever other reason you must save different file formats. These are pro-users or veteran users (geeky folk like you and me). That is the confusion for basic users and hence partially why iOS is much easier regarding its opaque file management and its success.

SO back to the QUESTION…
Do Mac and iPhone USERS really need a file system?

NO. And if OSX continues on it’s direction to work and act like iOS… USERS will not require to know or care about files like we all had to since the birth of the Mac.

I am very detail-oriented, analytical, Mac savvy and organized; but I have around 4 or 5 TB of harddrives accessible at home (besides iCloud and Dropbox) and I don’t know what all is there anymore. All kinds of media, developer files and extensions, data, program files, fonts, bookmarks, snippets, etc.

I’m just tired of it all. I would much rather spend my time organizing my clients’ content and media on their websites and networks as I do a lot of content strategy and management.

So, to help prepare for this future, I have been using the app Yep!, billed as “iPhoto for your files”. It tags them, files them, rates them, shows different views and collections, all the things spotlight can do and more in a friendly interface. I can just drag a file to the edge of the screen to tag and file it.

The moment you try to do any work you do.

BUT pretty much one can say the FILE management is under the hood for iOS. No worries to the user. OFC there is and will remain a FIle System but an open system to probe and worry NO.