Apple tried it as well with the iOS apps being able to dump their files in a flat structure only and organize and find them using labels and search.

It doesn’t work if you have more than a few documents and it isn’t what users want. Users want to be able to organise their documents in folders.

That was a bit different though. It didn't really have labels in a consistent way.

I agree folders are still great to have but I don't think the idea of a database-driven filesystem precludes that. It will just add more organisation options, not take any away.

If you don’t take away folders then the ‘database filesystem’ is not the main way of accessing files. And then it is nothing more than an index like those used by Spotlight or Cortana.

If you’re going to make a drastic move like switching the filesystem paradigm you need some really convincing arguments to sell it. More than ‘some organisation options’.

That was much later. OP is referring to the Cairo project and its Object File System, which was canceled.

Oh ok I didn't realize there was another cancelled project there.

Thanks I'll read up on it.