This suggestion pertains to when Sharepoint is used without any folders, and requests the creation of an interface for efficiently browsing and retrieving files that mirrors the intuitive graphical user interface of Windows folders:

(1) Pull headers from the server only for tags in meta-data, not for every single file (which could be 100, which could be 2900, which could be even more) and make us essentially look for needles in a digital pile of hay.

(2) Present categories as folders/gateways to files, even if clicking a folder is only really applying a meta-data tag filter.

(3) Show files and additional tag filter options in a completely integrated manner, whether it's akin to traditional point and click folder view of Windows Explorer where files are interspersed with folders, or a simulated hierarchical tree that "sorts" by tag .

In sum, present the option for a database-like GUI as is currently used, but also present the option for a narrower, cleaner interface for navigating the select meta-data that are most critical to file retrieval.