Ah, the most surprising news from Microsoft since removing PC Sync or removing EFI support came today. WinFS is dead. Really, this time. Previously, they removed WinFS from the Vista release, but promised it would be available separately soon after Vista was released in 2005. Since the 2005 date for Vista has slipped to 2007, you’d think they’d have enough time to get WinFS working, but apparently not.
Windows Vista had three major innovations as of its original release announcement: WinFS, Avalon graphics engine, and a technology for communication between devices and applications. Since everyone realizes that the prettier graphics are just eye candy, we can throw that one out and say there were two innovations announced. One was thrown out years ago, so then we have the Indigo system as the sole remaining innovation in Vista, and it still is three years later than originally announced. At least we’ll have integrated DRM and Trusted Computing so that Hollywood can control our computers. yay