The enduring files and folders paradigm

Computers mimic old office systems: files in folders, folders in cabinets. It’s just a user-friendly illusion, not how data is really stored.

Despite innovations that make that hierarchical nesting obsolete, the files and folders model remains strong. Think of how we use search in our email clients, how we use search and ‘pages’ in services like Notion and Dropbox, or alternative file organisation systems like tags. They have seen various degrees of success.

But although we rarely use physical filing systems anymore, we continue to rely on the mental structure. And it will continue to do so.