New
#1
Libraries showstopper - Not Shareable with non W7
Hi all
why does Microsoft start of with something REALLY GOOD but fails to finish it off properly which they could easily do by simply asking any "normal" user after the product has come out of the development labs for example the generally EXCELLENT Windows Media Center (not the WMP BTW) lacks a feature to play COMPOSITE video / audeo unless you have a remote controller etc etc.
The Libraries feature -- excellent once you get used to it - similar (in conception) to Linux / OS-X where you just "mount" a directory say /mymusic and have your files / sub folders under this -- doesn't matter on which physical volume(s) the data exists.
Now this works fine on W7 but here's the achilles heel of this.
Say you've got your data spanned across 2, 3 or more volumes.
Now you want to access the data from a Windows XP or other system -- No go.
Windows XP only recognises shared volumes and directories -- no shared Libraries so you still have to hunt for your data in "the old way". - Now of course if you've spread the stuff over many disks and you are on the XP system finding your data now becomes a nightware -- (which is why I'm still messing around with MySQL as any DATABASE system will find your data with a simple query).
I cannot believe with the number of "Non Windows 7" sysytems that will still be around for a few years even after the release of Windows 7 that Microsoft didn't try and implement a SHARED library function. Surely the remote system (W7) could have initiated a script that would pass the relevant data back to the local system (Windows XP).
Now I haven't tried every possible option so there just *might* be a method of sharing libraries but I haven't found it yet.
So guys if anybody can find a solution to this I'll (and I'm sure countless others) will be very greatful.
Just to repeat to avoid misunderstanding here. The Post refers to sharing the new LIBRARIES (for example if you create a new Library). Not Folders such as My Music, My Documents etc which are just "Classical Folders or Directories".
The Library facility is really great once you get used to it -- but without facilities for being able to share it across a network it's going to be really hobbled. This feature could be really useful in managing Corporate Network drives as well as the users would simply be authorised to access a Library. The I.T support could manage the disk drives seamlessly avoiding such outages "Please log off everybody to shared drive "P" as we need to re-organize / increase space / etc etc.
(meanwhile I'm pressing on with my MySQL music database as this WILL be genuinely shareable across a network).
Cheers
Jimbo