I have used python's pathlib to create a common abstraction across ADS and linux xattrs, but have had to stop at the lowest common denominator that is the linux implementation. It is good to know that some of the other nixen don't have the same restrictions because it means there might be a shorter route to interoperability (especially in light of some of the other threads on the linux file system that have popped up over the last couple of days). The second piece of the puzzle is also exactly as you point out, which is xattr support across all the common tools. Many of them have it already, however it is usually not enabled by default, so it is extremely easy for a user to accidentally copy only the main file data. To give an example of the issue, vim's default save implementation copies files in a way that removes xattrs. Thus, even if xattrs can get closer, the fact that they still require tools to implement correct behaviour makes is a bit like the situation with cooperative multitasking.