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RE: Binary XML == "spawn of the devil" ?

• To: 'Mike Champion' <mc@x...>, "'xml-dev@l...'" <xml-dev@l...>
• Subject: RE: Binary XML == "spawn of the devil" ?
• From: "Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <clbullar@i...>
• Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2003 09:04:02 -0500

Could be.  I am less afraid of the dark forces than 
spells too weak to heat porridge.  Better a death 
eater than an evil squib?  If a common binary reduces the 
effectiveness to some lowest common denominator that 
isn't that performant, why bother?  I suspect a lot 
of requirements per applicant need to be evaluated 
before putting too much effort into the design. Then, 
pleassssse, instead of trying to build a design to 
meet them all, make the decision up front what kind 
of support can be bolted-in (eg, graphics compression) 
vs what can be left out because only one language 
needs it instead of forcing every implementation to 
support it.  I realize this is going to tie back 
to permathread 4 (types are evil), but there it is.

Another reason, unfortunate but true, that some 
want a binary is to reduce the amount of theft by 
view source.  I know that is also a weak spell, but 
as the content goes up in cost, so does the desire 
to keep it branded.  One problem about the view source 
defense is that it treats all content as equal with 
regards to value and kinds of value.

len

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Champion [mailto:mc@x...]

Sure.  Lots of brimstone vapors in the air.  But *if* the working 
hypothesis that various aspects of XML 1.0 format conspire to make it much 
slower to parse than alternatives that have "XML nature," it's not clear to 
me how the world is worse off if the W3C works with the demons rather than 
letting them run wild.  [The Ministry of Magic's arrangement with the 
Dementors comes to mind :-) -- they were problematic as guards at Azkhaban, 
but they may be far worse as allies of Voldemort! ] Those who think "Binary 
XML" is the spawn of the devil might wish someday that the W3C had kept the 
demon spawn on the payroll rather than free to ally with the various Dark 
Forces out there :-)

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