[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message]

Re: XML Sucks

• To: Paul Jensen <psj@f...>
• Subject: Re: XML [expletive deleted]
• From: "Chiusano Joseph" <chiusano_joseph@b...>
• Date: Mon, 05 May 2003 15:45:49 -0400
• Cc: xml-dev@l...
• Organization: BAH
• References: <5.1.0.14.0.20030505115354.02807b38@m...> <ubryhr5xc.fsf@s...> <Pine.NEB.4.53.0305051146530.12989@p...> <uisspnzjg.fsf@s...>

<Quote>
I just find that XML is cumbersome to enter, and often difficult to
read.
</Quote>

The difficulty in reading (from a relative standpoint) is often an
authorship (development/design, please pick favorite term) issue. For
example, the following fragment:

<AGNCY>12906798</AGNCY>
<LOC>12 Main St....etc.</LOC>
<IND>John Smith</IND>

is quite more difficult to read than:

<Agency>
    <AgencyID>12906798</AgencyID>
    <Address>12 Main St....etc.</Address>
    <PointOfContact>John Smith</PointOfContact>
</Agency>

Kind Regards,
Joe Chiusano
Booz | Allen | Hamilton

Paul Jensen wrote:
> 
> Mike Kozlowski <mlk@k...> writes:
> 
> >> Spot on. I certainly remember feeling a similar sentiment when I
> >> began using Ant. I want to write my Ant buildfiles in "Ant", not in
> >> "XML".
> >
> > That's precisely what I don't want to do.  The best thing about XML
> > configuration files is that I already know the syntax -- I don't
> > need to remember whether it's #, //, or ; that marks a comment,
> > whether I need a special character at the end of every line, what
> > character I use to quote strings, how I do escaping, or anything.
> 
> It's a good point -- a standard syntax does have advantages you
> mention. I just find that XML is cumbersome to enter, and often
> difficult to read.
> 
> > With XML files, the syntax is standard and universal.
> 
> Sure -- its strength and its weakness, I suppose. As far as I'm
> concerned, it's more of a weakness when I have to type it in with my
> own fingers.
> 
> > (Plus, XML-aware editors make it easy to only view the parts of a
> > large configuration file that matter to me, while ignoring the
> > uninteresting parts.)
> 
> Another good point.
> 
> Cheers,
> Paul
> 
> --
> Paul Jensen <psj@f...>
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> The xml-dev list is sponsored by XML.org <http://www.xml.org>, an
> initiative of OASIS <http://www.oasis-open.org>
> 
> The list archives are at http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/
> 
> To subscribe or unsubscribe from this list use the subscription
> manager: <http://lists.xml.org/ob/adm.pl>

begin:vcard 
n:Chiusano;Joseph
tel;work:(703) 902-6923
x-mozilla-html:FALSE
url:www.bah.com
org:Booz | Allen | Hamilton;IT Digital Strategies Team
adr:;;8283 Greensboro Drive;McLean;VA;22012;
version:2.1
email;internet:chiusano_joseph@b...
title:Senior Consultant
fn:Joseph M. Chiusano
end:vcard

• References:
  • XML [expletive deleted]
    • From: Sean McGrath <sean.mcgrath@p...>
  • Re: XML [expletive deleted]
    • From: Paul Jensen <psj@f...>
  • Re: XML [expletive deleted]
    • From: Mike Kozlowski <mlk@k...>
  • Re: XML [expletive deleted]
    • From: Paul Jensen <psj@f...>

• Prev by Date: Re: XML [expletive deleted]
• Next by Date: Re: XML [expletive deleted]
• Previous by thread: Re: XML [expletive deleted]
• Next by thread: Re: XML [expletive deleted]
• Index(es):
  • Date
  • Thread