Re: [xml-dev] Two Questions - on XML Schema

On Fri, 2006-03-10 at 07:47, Rick Jelliffe wrote:
> Oh, we lost the one-size-cannot-fit-all debate before XML Schemas 
> started. Of course,
> we get the dolorous satisfaction of being proved right afterwards.

I realize that debate was lost, but the danger now is that it's a
reinforcing system.  Old territory here, but customers/users of
XML-aware tools think that XSD is the blessed way to deal with XML. 
Most of them are working with data in a database, so they put those
constraints in the schema, thus blowing the interoperability thing out
the window because we're back to fixed-length field sizes.  The tools
all support XSD first, anything else second, so this reinforces the
customer's assumption that XSD is the way.

The reality is that most people on the planet think about objects.  It
took over 20 years to get them to change their mind about that, so it's
not too surprising that most don't grok XML (it's only been 10), or if
they do, they use it for very simple things and are done with it (e.g.
no schemas at all).

It's nearly always possible to turn reinforcing systems around, but the
variable is how much it's going to hurt.  Still, I think that whatever
debates/arguments/discussions we have about what goes where, the end
result is what sends the message to the masses.  Maybe it's time to
tweak the message a little.

ast
-- 
Join me in Dubrovnik, Croatia on May 8-10th when I will be speaking at
InfoSeCon 2006.  For more information, see www.infosecon.org.

***************************************************************************************************
The information in this email is confidential and may be legally privileged.  Access to this email by anyone other than the intended addressee is unauthorized.  If you are not the intended recipient of this message, any review, disclosure, copying, distribution, retention, or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it is prohibited and may be unlawful.  If you are not the intended recipient, please reply to or forward a copy of this message to the sender and delete the message, any attachments, and any copies thereof from your system.
***************************************************************************************************

-----------------------------------------------------------------
The xml-dev list is sponsored by XML.org <http://www.xml.org>, an
initiative of OASIS <http://www.oasis-open.org>

The list archives are at http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this list use the subscription
manager: <http://www.oasis-open.org/mlmanage/index.php>

Received on Friday, 10 March 2006 09:01:07 UTC