3 ms·
The dotfiles are for metadata that the non-Mac filesystems can't store. Coloured labels, icon position, longer filenames, creator info etc. Windows actually do
by GekkePrutser 4y ago
The dotfiles are for metadata that the non-Mac filesystems can't store. Coloured labels, icon position, longer filenames, creator info etc.
Windows actually does almost the same thing. Thumbs.db etc. And it also creates shadow files for those with metadata when saving to FAT32. You just don't see them on windows as they are hidden, just like dotfiles are on macOS.
- Dylan16807 4y agoThe last version of windows that made thumbs.db was XP. And what metadata do you mean? Permissions and alternate streams get purged, don't they? What else is there? You have to go out of your way to get a desktop.ini and those are just as obtrusive on NTFS. Long file names are stored in a weird way but that's very standardized and doesn't make extra files.
- panzi 4y agoThere's still the "System Volume Information" folder. Whatever that is. (I use Linux, but see it on USB drives that where plugged into Windows machines.)
- GekkePrutser 4y agoOn NTFS no, but Win 10 still makes shadow files on filesystems without metadata, like exFAT. Not sure about 11 actually as I don't use it much. I forget the name but I believe it's the filename prepended or appended with an underscore. PS: On Mac you can turn it off with a simple defaults write command. Of course it also means that metadata changes won't be persisted to such files. Not sure about Windows.
- Dylan16807 4y agoAre you sure? What metadata specifically? I've never seen anything like this from Windows. And I think you misread my NTFS mention. That was only in the context of desktop.ini, and desktop.ini only happens if you go through a specific obscure menu. But I can tell you that prepending filenames with ._ is a Mac thing.
- GekkePrutser 4y agohmm ok I was sure but you made me doubt myself now :) I'll give it a try tomorrow.