AHAlodeck

Welcome! :)

• FAQs regarding extended attributes on the filesystem (Linux/Mac/Win)
• More FAQs about Object Storage, Schema-evolution, etc. will follow.

A Holodeck by August.

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. ;)

More?

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.

Why?

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.