Rethinking the computer ‘desktop’ as a concept

Re:Rethinking the computer ‘desktop’ as a concept by bzzzt on Wednesday June 02, 2021 @07:33AM (#27367435)

File formats like DOCX or PSD (fitting extension) are almost impossible to parse 100% correct and render without the (hired) software used to create them. While you may be able to copy your files, without the software they are quite useless.

The file system won't save you there.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Rethinking the computer ‘desktop’ as a concept by pjerem on Thursday June 03, 2021 @04:50AM (#27378648)

You are right and it's a real issue, but you can share them with whoever you want, however you want. You can just keep them and be pretty confident that they will be readable again in years : even if it could become difficult as the time passes, if it is nothing too exotic, chances are you will be able to at least read them.

And I prefer a "95%" correct DOCX or PSD that I can recover and rework if needed than a "0% this App is not available in the WhateverStore anymore".

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Rethinking the computer ‘desktop’ as a concept by bzzzt on Friday June 04, 2021 @05:56AM (#27392114)

For popular formats that would be possible, but there are a lot of binary only formats that are completely impossible to parse these days. You're free to copy it but the bits are essentially useless.

Try to load a current ML model 20 years from now. Probably tied to proprietary software and if you're unlucky also hardware (like CUDA)

[ Parent | on HN ]