Improving the usability of the hierarchical file system

Abstract

Whether you are interested in improving the usability of Linux, Macintosh or Windows, there is one restriction you cannot escape - the hierarchical file storage system. The notion of files and folders has been with us for so long that it almost seems axiomatic. In this paper we look at the effects on users of forcing a hierarchical classification of files. We also consider how some of the resultant problems can be tackled with a new piece of file browsing software based on the ideas of relational database systems.