Object Sharing via File System (djg3)

[David Garfield]

A possible means of making data objects available to other processes:

It is possible for

   1) All processes to be objects.

   2) Objects to be in the logical file system.

   3) Objects themselves be asked what objects are below them in the
      file system.

With this setup, each process object is placed in the logical file
system.  Each process object may then be queried as to what public
objects it contains.  If a process is a 'dumb' program, this would
probably mean either nothing is public or a fixed list is public.  A
'smart' program could either published all its objects or a portion of
its object list it selects.

As an additional capability, a 'smart' program could have objects
placed into the directory that it provides by other programs.  This
could be used as a means of specifically requesting communications
with a process.

Additionally, if an object can be placed in one place in the file
system, it can be placed in other 'known' places, allowing for the
publication of objects.

One other capability allowed by mapping between directories and
objects is that something like a ZIP file (produced by PKZIP or the
like) could allow its contents to be directly accessed as a file.
Mapping between different styles of file systems could happen the same
way (assuming you want to nest filesystems).


Note on terms:  I am using the term 'logical file system' to refer to
the effective file system that exists when the system is running.  In
Unix this is composed of the the root file system and any file systems
and network file systems mounted on it.  In the case of Moose, the
logical file system will (I hope) also include objects and other
things.

-- 
David Garfield/2250 Clarendon Blvd/Arlington, VA 22201   (703)522-9416
Email: david%davgar@uunet.uu.net or garfield@snoopy.sra.com