A modest proposal for a Windows/IE feature before I go out of my mind

Very simple. When saving a file (e.g. when downloading), expose the
extended file attributes for editing.

In other words, when I download a file in an IE session, I'd like to
actually *use* those attributes that MS built into the FS. Some comments,
keywords, and so forth.

Some download managers provide helpful value-added organizing assistance --
categories, comments, and what-not. I can add a comment when downloading,
but that comment is unfortunately not applied to the file as an attribute.

The benefit of the attribute is that it follows the file.

My general gripe here is that Microsoft builds useful features into things,
but the features aren't used. In this case, however, Microsoft could have
easily encouraged use of these attributes and made them valuable by
exposing them to editing at the most likely times someone would want to do
that -- such as when downloading it. Since this feature is lacking, it'd be
ridiculous of me to go even further and hope for automatic adding of the
URL to the comments attribute. ;-)

I'll take this a step further and say I'd like to see this possible during
copying or moving of files as well.

Anyone at MS see the value of this idea? With all the hoopla about WinFS,
I'd sure like to see better thinking about where and when to expose file
attribute editing opportunities in the UI. As long as these attributes are
only exposed in the UI in a property sheet, they're unlikely to be used.
Expose 'em in common dialogs and there'd be something to work with -- and
developers of download managers might even get a clue and start replicating
their own systems' comments to the attributes.

- Scott