Re: Simple, or dumbed down?

On 21 Dec 2016, at 21:36, Costello, Roger L. <costello@mitre.org> wrote:

Hi Folks,

Is XML 1.0 a simple data format language, or a dumbed down data format language?

Is JSON a simple data format language, or a dumbed down data format language?

Is XML Schema 1.0 a simple schema language, or a dumbed down schema language?

Is XSLT 1.0 a simple XML scripting language, or a dumbed down XML scripting language?

Is simplicity good (because it makes languages and notations accessible to the masses), or does simplicity merely lower the collective intelligence of the planet?

Do richer, more expressive, more complex languages and notations elevate the collective intelligence of the planet, or do they merely form priesthoods?

Should the role of standards organizations be to create simple standards to make them accessible to the masses, or should standards organizations invite the masses to stretch to new intellectual heights?

/Roger