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Re: Adam Bosworth Article - what does "direct access" mean?

• To: "W. E. Perry" <wperry@f...>,"XML DEV" <xml-dev@l...>
• Subject: Re: Adam Bosworth Article - what does "direct access" mean?
• From: "Jeff Rafter" <jeffrafter@d...>
• Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 07:40:25 -0600
• References: <EFCE3FB1E4D1114A8F13841C4BBBB5418C4739@M...> <3E27FE01.155E3884@f...>

> None. What would be the point? I do have a full schedule and better things
> to do with my time than score points for smirking off those who drop in to
> XML-DEV a time or two and then disappear.

Luckily I have been here for a while now so I want to raise a few questions,
because even though I have been here for a while I don't pretend to
understand it all-- I am still a "programmer weenie" but view the term as a
soft, friendly term of admiration and respect : ).

Now, I do serialize native programming objects to XML. Let the arrows sling.
And I go the other direction back to the objects. But I feel like this is
100% in the spirit of XML. I don't serialize to XML just for the fun of it
(well, maybe sometimes...) as it does take processor and memory. But to
expose my data to the rest of the world.

> The richness or value of XML as data is observably in inverse proportion
to
> its intent.

Agreed, that is my point. I have all of this _information_ wrapped up in a
programming object, but I don't want to limit my interactions to those who
use my particular programming language-- I write to XML so that the W.E.
Perrys of the world can use my data in ways I never imagined. This seems
like a tremendous benefit to XML-- taking the data out of rigid systems and
putting into (rigid) XML is fine. It can still be used in a marvelous
variety of ways.

I can also use XML tools (such as XSLT) to get infinitely various data back
into my system-- data that may have never been intended for my system.
Again, this seems like it is in the spirit of XML. Now, I do know that my
underlying assumption is that there is some "data" or "information" that I
expect or hope to find. It may or may not be there.

So, where did I get off the boat?

All the best,
Jeff Rafter
Defined Systems
http://www.defined.net
XML Development and Developer Web Hosting

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  • Re: Adam Bosworth Article - what does "direct access" mean?
    • From: "W. E. Perry" <wperry@f...>

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