Re: A structured format for dates?

I'm sold on the arguments that an integer format is the way to go.

On Wed, Aug 24, 2022 at 1:41 AM Poul-Henning Kamp <phk@phk.freebsd.dk>
wrote:

> --------
> Mark Nottingham writes:
>
> > IMO the only reason we'd choose an integer textual representation is if
> we
> > didn't believe that [binary structured fields are going to happen].
>
> I disagree.
>
> First, we are never going to get 100% penetration for a binary
> serialization,
> and it will take about five years for any significant uptake of it.
>
> Second, the efficiency arguments are invariant of the existence of
> binary serializations, because most of the actual HTTP header
> processing HTTP headers will not operate on the binary serialization
> in the first place.
>
> Third, there are many efficiency arguments for integer textural
> representation,
> even without considering binary serializations:
>
> * takes up less space in files and on the wire
> * compresses better.
> * is faster and uses less instructions/energy to produce and parse
> * is easier and less error-prone to produce and parse
>
> So I really dont see binary structured fields as particularly relevant for
> this
> decision, if anything, they just add one more efficiency argument:
>
> * is faster/uses less instructions/energy and easier to (de)serialize as
> binary.
>
> Poul-Henning
>
> --
> Poul-Henning Kamp       | UNIX since Zilog Zeus 3.20
> phk@FreeBSD.ORG         | TCP/IP since RFC 956
> FreeBSD committer       | BSD since 4.3-tahoe
> Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence.
>
>