Windows can provide a short 8.3 name for compatibility with older applications that cannot use long file or directory names. The 8.3 form has up to eight characters, an optional period, and up to three extension characters. A file system can store both a long name and a short alias for the same item. Creation of short aliases depends on the file system and its configuration; not every long name has an 8.3 alias. This is distinct from naming a shared network resource.
A recoverable file system designed for Windows NT, 2000, XP, and Vista. NTFS uses database, transaction-processing, and object paradigms to provide data security, file system reliability, and advanced features. It supports file system recovery, large storage media, and features for the POSIX subsystem. It also supports object-oriented applications by treating all files as objects with user-defined and system-defined attributes.