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Re: xml 2.0 - so it's on the way after all?

• To: Rich Salz <rsalz@d...>
• Subject: Re: xml 2.0 - so it's on the way after all?
• From: Rick Marshall <rjm@z...>
• Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2005 09:56:56 +1100
• Cc: Bob Foster <bob@o...>, xml-dev@l...
• In-reply-to: <42039ACA.9020203@d...>
• Organization: Zenucom Pty Ltd
• References: <Pine.LNX.4.44L0.0501280904130.20504-100000@s...> <200502032213.56841.david.lyon@c...> <4202A983.6030803@z...> <4202C65B.7000207@o...> <42038131.8080701@m...> <42039ACA.9020203@d...>
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Rich Salz wrote:

>> If there were to be an XML 2.0, one of the goals should be that any 
>> off-the-shelf parser generator can produce a parser for it. It's 
>> ridiculously hard to write a correct XML parser; it ought to be 
>> ridiculously easy.
>
>
> If the parser is how most users actually get to "touch" XML, then 
> we're probably all better off that there are a limited number of 
> parsers out there.
>
> If every damn fool could write a C, C#, or Java compiler, then there'd 
> probably be no hope of language portability.
>     /r$

while not "every damn fool" can write a c etc compiler, it's certainly 
well within the capabilities of a comp science undergrad (and in fact 
part of the course in many places - or similar). but a compiler is more 
than a parser and here we're simply talking the difficulty of parsing 
xml - let alone doing anything with it.

this is not to say that what's out there doesn't work well - mostly it 
works very well. but if it was easier and more people did write accurate 
parsers then i think that would be very good for xml.

that the difficulty in writing a parser is a problem i would have 
thought is self evident from some of the questions on this list. and in 
fact not only is the parser difficult to write, but in many cases the 
xml itself is difficult!

some serious consideration about what we really do need is required.... 
it is in everyone's interest.

rick

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• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: xml 2.0 - so it's on the way after all?
    • From: Elliotte Harold <elharo@m...>

• References:
  • xml 2.0 - so it's on the way after all?
    • From: David Lyon <david.lyon@c...>
  • Re: xml 2.0 - so it's on the way after all?
    • From: Rick Marshall <rjm@z...>
  • Re: xml 2.0 - so it's on the way after all?
    • From: Bob Foster <bob@o...>
  • Re: xml 2.0 - so it's on the way after all?
    • From: Elliotte Harold <elharo@m...>
  • Re: xml 2.0 - so it's on the way after all?
    • From: Rich Salz <rsalz@d...>

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