I’ve been saying it for years to anyone that will listen: Folders are an archaic concept. Sure, most of us (and by us, I mean you), still organize files in an array of subfolders, but that artificial segregation often makes it harder to find stuff, not easier. In Windows Vista, desktop search and file tagging is good enough that you can simply store all your files in one main folder — like Documents — and rely on searches and filtering to locate files fast. If you buy into this 21st Century file storage concept, then you might want to use a tool like Suction to move all your files out of subfolders into central location.
You’re either going to love that idea or hate it. Personally, I have largely done away with subfolders and trust metadata and super-fast system searches to locate exactly what I need faster than I could ever locate something by drilling down into subfolders.
Suction is a free utility that helps you get to this new state of being by moving all the files in a folder tree to the root location, such as your Documents or Pictures folder. It even elegantly handles duplicate file names — an inevitable hiccup when consolidating files from a bunch of folders.
Are you a true believer in my single-folder file management theory, or do you think I’m insane? Sound off in the comments. I’d love to know if anyone else has bought into Vista search and flat folder organizations the way I have.
