Comments on: Mount remote filesystems via SSH on Windows with free software http://niallohiggins.com/2009/05/12/mount-remote-filesystems-via-ssh-on-windows-with-free-software/ The website of Niall O'Higgins: A few, immature words Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:15:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Digrunted http://niallohiggins.com/2009/05/12/mount-remote-filesystems-via-ssh-on-windows-with-free-software/comment-page-1/#comment-369 Digrunted Thu, 14 May 2009 22:40:19 +0000 http://niallohiggins.com/?p=444#comment-369 It's worse than you think. There is a separate underworld (NT kernel) filesystem which does have proper symlinks. You can access this underworld files system with all the normal file commands, but it's a separate system of objects/device. Then of course there is the registry, which again kind is a filesystem without really being a file system. Then in Explorer there are namespaces which are kind of like filesystem to the user, but doesn't have real paths that can be used with file functions. Unix has it right, everything is a file in a single hierarchy with mounting and symlinks available everywhere as standard. Same file commands/functions for everything. Just wish it was taken as far as Plan9, but there is hope in <a href="http://www.glendix.org/" title="glendix" rel="nofollow">Glendix</a>, and the Proc and Union filesystems are from Plan9. Dokan makes some of the world of virtual filesystem easier to move into the Windows world, but if your really interested in filesystem, Windows is not the platform for you. The Explorer interface is ok as a file manager, if you're not developing for it, for users it does the job. Though even a normal user will suffer from all Explorer windows (and task bar) being a single process. Sooo many times I've see people think Windows has crashed when it's just Explorer locking up over some problem drive or something. It’s worse than you think. There is a separate underworld (NT kernel) filesystem which does have proper symlinks. You can access this underworld files system with all the normal file commands, but it’s a separate system of objects/device. Then of course there is the registry, which again kind is a filesystem without really being a file system. Then in Explorer there are namespaces which are kind of like filesystem to the user, but doesn’t have real paths that can be used with file functions. Unix has it right, everything is a file in a single hierarchy with mounting and symlinks available everywhere as standard. Same file commands/functions for everything. Just wish it was taken as far as Plan9, but there is hope in Glendix, and the Proc and Union filesystems are from Plan9. Dokan makes some of the world of virtual filesystem easier to move into the Windows world, but if your really interested in filesystem, Windows is not the platform for you.

The Explorer interface is ok as a file manager, if you’re not developing for it, for users it does the job. Though even a normal user will suffer from all Explorer windows (and task bar) being a single process. Sooo many times I’ve see people think Windows has crashed when it’s just Explorer locking up over some problem drive or something.

]]> By: niallo http://niallohiggins.com/2009/05/12/mount-remote-filesystems-via-ssh-on-windows-with-free-software/comment-page-1/#comment-368 niallo Thu, 14 May 2009 20:36:39 +0000 http://niallohiggins.com/?p=444#comment-368 Joe, While I haven't worked with Windows' virtual filesystem stuff, I can certainly imagine its horrible. I'm sure that POSIX is a lot nicer. You only have to look at <a href="http://www.shell-shocked.org/article.php?id=284" rel="nofollow">how symlinks are supported under Windows</a> to get a taste of the horrors of the Windows API. On the other hand, the Explorer interface is quite nice for file management. Not that they necessarily originated it, or that there aren't good copies for UNIX systems (Konqueror, or <a href="http://roscidus.com/desktop/ROX-Filer" rel="nofollow">ROX Filer</a>). Joe,

While I haven’t worked with Windows’ virtual filesystem stuff, I can certainly imagine its horrible. I’m sure that POSIX is a lot nicer. You only have to look at how symlinks are supported under Windows to get a taste of the horrors of the Windows API.

On the other hand, the Explorer interface is quite nice for file management. Not that they necessarily originated it, or that there aren’t good copies for UNIX systems (Konqueror, or ROX Filer).

]]> By: ProgrammerWantingToDropWindows http://niallohiggins.com/2009/05/12/mount-remote-filesystems-via-ssh-on-windows-with-free-software/comment-page-1/#comment-361 ProgrammerWantingToDropWindows Thu, 14 May 2009 11:28:30 +0000 http://niallohiggins.com/?p=444#comment-361 The thing is the more you play with virtual filesystems (as a programmer), especially Dokan, the more you wish your where using a Unix system (and FUSE). Dokan is a very good piece of work, but Windows just doesn't really cut it for virtual filesystems. If you get the "everything is a file" of Unix and wish it was taken as far as Plan9, Windows is a broken toy. In fact it's worse, things that should be simple are made complex. Don't get me started about mounting under Windows. As for the Explorer shell, try writing a full namespace for your virtual filesystem then say it's good. There is a lack of documentation, what there is was forced out of MS by the EU in 2003. It's a nightmare. Wine source will help some, but doesn't implement everything and not always in the same way. I've been working on all this for months and it's horrible, it's like trying to make a dog sing. The thing is the more you play with virtual filesystems (as a programmer), especially Dokan, the more you wish your where using a Unix system (and FUSE). Dokan is a very good piece of work, but Windows just doesn’t really cut it for virtual filesystems. If you get the “everything is a file” of Unix and wish it was taken as far as Plan9, Windows is a broken toy. In fact it’s worse, things that should be simple are made complex. Don’t get me started about mounting under Windows. As for the Explorer shell, try writing a full namespace for your virtual filesystem then say it’s good. There is a lack of documentation, what there is was forced out of MS by the EU in 2003. It’s a nightmare. Wine source will help some, but doesn’t implement everything and not always in the same way. I’ve been working on all this for months and it’s horrible, it’s like trying to make a dog sing.

]]> By: Tadhg http://niallohiggins.com/2009/05/12/mount-remote-filesystems-via-ssh-on-windows-with-free-software/comment-page-1/#comment-360 Tadhg Thu, 14 May 2009 07:51:56 +0000 http://niallohiggins.com/?p=444#comment-360 I was just about to go looking for something that does ssh filesystem mounting on Windows when I saw your status update announcing this post. Very handy! I was just about to go looking for something that does ssh filesystem mounting on Windows when I saw your status update announcing this post. Very handy!

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