Where does shell.windows.com get information about file extensions, and how do I get in on that action?

re: Where does shell.windows.com get information about file extensions, and how do I get in on that action?

SuperKoko — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 02:26:09 GMT

Since I'm french, I use the french version of Windows XP and thought, for years, that this service was utterly useless.

Recently, I discovered that the english database contains many file extensions.

But, really, the french database does contain almost zero extensions.

txt, bmp, wav, zip, avi, wmv, gz, 7z... None of them are listed.

So I just discovered that this feature is actually useful for some guys on earth.

re: Where does shell.windows.com get information about file extensions, and how do I get in on that action?

Bryan — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:43:19 GMT

Honestly, I barely even consider that to be a solution anyway. How do you know to use this other application - does it show up automatically?

If I am skilled to read meta-data then I am probably skilled enough to use www.google.com/search?q=jpeg+file and replace "jpeg" with whatever extension I want.

But hey, if I could do that then why not provide that feature at my finger tips in an automated fashion. Oh wait...

re: Where does shell.windows.com get information about file extensions, and how do I get in on that action?

Josh — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:30:18 GMT

chrismcb wrote:

>So, wait, I got lost here. Does Microsoft suck because it doesn't store enough metadata?

MS sucks because they are polishing a turd. The on-line file associator is a good idea; continuing to use the filename to associate with a program is bone-headed.

Raymond wrote:

>Yeah, that's user-friendly. "Okay, so in order to figure out what application you need to open this file, first run...[snip]

You're being deliberately obtuse.

[Actually, I'm genuinely obtuse. Problem statement: You have a file but not the application that knows how to open it. How do you find the right application? One response was "well run this program and study the metadata." I don't consider that a user-friend solution. -Raymond]

To surface

Tom A. Mason — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:08:29 GMT

@chrismcb

Not quite. "Surface", in the sense of "to rise to the surface" is an intransitive verb, which means it cannot be used in the passive voice. It is only transitive in the sense of "to put a surface on something" (e.g. the workmen surface the road.), but since it is the program which adds elements to the jump list, and not the other way around, this usage is incorrect.

re: Where does shell.windows.com get information about file extensions, and how do I get in on that action?

Ben L — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 02:47:47 GMT

This "feature" has never worked because software vendors don't want support it. But I don't care why it doesn't work, just admit its not working and remove it from the OS. It takes too many clicks. And after that it doesn't ever find anything, plus it requires the user to ponder for a few moments about how Windows is hard and annoying to use.

re: Where does shell.windows.com get information about file extensions, and how do I get in on that action?

chrismcb — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:46:30 GMT

@wound

The verb to surface means "to bring to the surface" or to "rise up." In this case the surface is the user interface of the program, it is what the user sees. you are right, surfacing a command is to make the command available to the the user. But it makes it available such that the user SEES the command, it is brought to the surface. Sorry if using English words in a way that is correct makes you barf.

re: Where does shell.windows.com get information about file extensions, and how do I get in on that action?

Rikard — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:00:50 GMT

Simon MacMullen wrote "Only two companies registered a claim to be able to handle mp3? Wow."

Think about how often that page is viewed: Every time someone tries to play an MP3-file on a Windows computer that doesn't have software to deal with the format... Not so often. (I don't think this service is targeted to Windows 3 users.)

re: Where does shell.windows.com get information about file extensions, and how do I get in on that action?

ChrisR — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:10:08 GMT

@Z: The Group Policy editor can be used to edit this setting on Windows XP (SP2) as well.

re: Where does shell.windows.com get information about file extensions, and how do I get in on that action?

Ken Hagan — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:30:06 GMT

"Jump Lists surface commonly used nouns (destinations) and verbs (tasks) of a program"

Oh dear. I think I just surfaced my lunch.

re: Where does shell.windows.com get information about file extensions, and how do I get in on that action?

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:20:12 GMT

on Windows Server 2008 (so probably on Vista too), it can be set from Local Group Policy Editor > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Internet Communication Management > Internet Communication settings > Turn off Internet File Association service.