> the metadata is lost once the file is exported out of the system
As someone who has implemented such a "file system" (or three) for various types of enterprise clients, some of which in turn serve it to other b2b clients of their own... I just have to say... this isn't necessarily a bad thing, and also, it's not necessarily true either. For starters, one can easily give every file a unique uuid, and map that uuid to a spreadsheet full of metadata. Additionally, a little vendor lock in to keep "special features" like management of a bespoke file system isn't necessarily a bad thing, either, if it's in your best interest to keep paying customers. Application specific use cases? Sure... but what isn't? You can build a generic abstract non-hierarchical file system though... easily.
As someone who has implemented such a "file system" (or three) for various types of enterprise clients, some of which in turn serve it to other b2b clients of their own... I just have to say... this isn't necessarily a bad thing, and also, it's not necessarily true either. For starters, one can easily give every file a unique uuid, and map that uuid to a spreadsheet full of metadata. Additionally, a little vendor lock in to keep "special features" like management of a bespoke file system isn't necessarily a bad thing, either, if it's in your best interest to keep paying customers. Application specific use cases? Sure... but what isn't? You can build a generic abstract non-hierarchical file system though... easily.