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FUSE wouldn't do what they claim to do. FUSE would let them create a Dropbox-alike, i.e. a separate partition whose contents are synced to the Plug. Using FUS

FUSE wouldn't do what they claim to do. FUSE would let them create a Dropbox-alike, i.e. a separate partition whose contents are synced to the Plug. Using FUSE to intercept all I/O on all files would require you to migrate your entire directory structure to their FUSE filesystem; probably a rather unfriendly setup procedure. If their description is to be believed, they're presumably installing a kernel module which hooks in above or below the filesystem layer, so it doesn't require you to modify your existing filesystems.

ChuckMcM 13y ago
That would be the "Translucent File System" from Sun, patent #5,313,646 (http://www.google.com/patents/US5313646 http://www.google.com/patents/US5313646). Back when Sun was building a new source code control system (code named Avocet) they wanted a way to create a 'view' of the branch which included stuff from NFS servers and stuff locally. The problem is subtly tricky in some ways (creating 'whiteout' to delete a file which exists in one layer but not the other). Its a really handy thing, and I was very impressed with it in the mid '90s when I was using it. Perhaps its time has come again?
- prg318 13y ago
  A similar technique is also used in IBM's Rational ClearCase suite. It uses a proprietary networked filesystem to provide a dynamic view to users. It was an interesting attempt at a solution for version control and I'm sure that its in use today. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearcase https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearcase
  - ChuckMcM 13y ago
    I have a fuzzy memory of the folks at Rational licensing the entire source code product from Sun at one point. I know some of the key engineers on it went to work for Rational (this was all pre-IBM acquisition)
gohrt 13y ago
If their kernel-hacking description is to be believed, it will hork your whole system every time you get a minor OS upgrade.

ChuckMcM 13y ago

That would be the "Translucent File System" from Sun, patent #5,313,646 (http://www.google.com/patents/US5313646 http://www.google.com/patents/US5313646). Back when Sun was building a new source code control system (code named Avocet) they wanted a way to create a 'view' of the branch which included stuff from NFS servers and stuff locally. The problem is subtly tricky in some ways (creating 'whiteout' to delete a file which exists in one layer but not the other). Its a really handy thing, and I was very impressed with it in the mid '90s when I was using it. Perhaps its time has come again?

prg318 13y ago
A similar technique is also used in IBM's Rational ClearCase suite. It uses a proprietary networked filesystem to provide a dynamic view to users. It was an interesting attempt at a solution for version control and I'm sure that its in use today. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearcase https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearcase
- ChuckMcM 13y ago
  I have a fuzzy memory of the folks at Rational licensing the entire source code product from Sun at one point. I know some of the key engineers on it went to work for Rational (this was all pre-IBM acquisition)

gohrt 13y ago

If their kernel-hacking description is to be believed, it will hork your whole system every time you get a minor OS upgrade.