This article over at IBM, provides information VFS. A virtual filesystem (VFS) is an abstraction with surprisingly productive uses. Several popular languages now support VFS constructs, including Java and Perl. Tcl’s filesystem is completely virtual filesystem aware and is way ahead of other languages in its VFS sophistication. The concept should intrigue anyone working with Linux, of course, simply because so much of Linux’s own character comes from the representation of devices, tables, and other objects within the UNIX filesystem.
Server Clinic: Put Virtual Filesystems to Work
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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This kind of thing reminds me of REBOL url types. Runtime extendable, can be treated as I/O ports, files or strings depending on your whim. Current support includes files, network protocols, hardware devices, databases and system messages, all basically treated the same, interchangable.
I’ve found this kind of thing to be very useful.