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XML Co-Creator says XML Is Too Hard For Programmers

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the harshest-critic-always-self dept.

orangerobot writes "Tim Bray, one of the co-authors of the original XML 1.0 specification has a new entry on his website explaining why he's been feeling unsatisified lately with XML and says his last experience writing code for handling XML was 'irritating, time-consuming, and error-prone.' XML has always a divided response among the technical community. The anti-XML community has several sites stating their positions."

14 of 562 comments (clear)

  1. Mysterious Future by FosterSJC · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Amazing!

    I can see the mysterious future without a mysterious subscription plan!

  2. Re:Too hard? by Michael+Mooore · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    Monday, March 17th, 2003

    George W. Bush
    1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
    Washington, DC
    Dear Governor Bush:

    So today is what you call "the moment of truth," the day that "France and the rest of world have to show their cards on the table." I'm glad to hear that this day has finally arrived. Because, I gotta tell ya, having survived 440 days of your lying and conniving, I wasn't sure if I could take much more. So I'm glad to hear that today is Truth Day, 'cause I got a few truths I would like to share with you:

    1. There is virtually NO ONE in America (talk radio nutters and Fox News aside) who is gung-ho to go to war. Trust me on this one. Walk out of the White House and on to any street in America and try to find five people who are PASSIONATE about wanting to kill Iraqis. YOU WON'T FIND THEM! Why? 'Cause NO Iraqis have ever come here and killed any of us! No Iraqi has even threatened to do that. You see, this is how we average Americans think: If a certain so-and-so is not perceived as a threat to our lives, then, believe it or not, we don't want to kill him! Funny how that works!
    2. The majority of Americans -- the ones who never elected you -- are not fooled by your weapons of mass distraction. We know what the real issues are that affect our daily lives -- and none of them begin with I or end in Q. Here's what threatens us: two and a half million jobs lost since you took office, the stock market having become a cruel joke, no one knowing if their retirement funds are going to be there, gas now costs two dollars a gallon -- the list goes on and on. Bombing Iraq will not make any of this go away. Only you need to go away for things to improve.
    3. As Bill Maher said last week, how bad do you have to suck to lose a popularity contest with Saddam Hussein? The whole world is against you, Mr. Bush. Count your fellow Americans among them.
    4. The Pope has said this war is wrong, that it is a SIN. The Pope! But even worse, the Dixie Chicks have now come out against you! How bad does it have to get before you realize that you are an army of one on this war? Of course, this is a war you personally won't have to fight. Just like when you went AWOL while the poor were shipped to Vietnam in your place.
    5. Of the 535 members of Congress, only ONE (Sen. Johnson of South Dakota) has an enlisted son or daughter in the armed forces! If you really want to stand up for America, please send your twin daughters over to Kuwait right now and let them don their chemical warfare suits. And let's see every member of Congress with a child of military age also sacrifice their kids for this war effort. What's that you say? You don't THINK so? Well, hey, guess what -- we don't think so either!
    6. Finally, we love France. Yes, they have pulled some royal screw-ups. Yes, some of them can be pretty damn annoying. But have you forgotten we wouldn't even have this country known as America if it weren't for the French? That it was their help in the Revolutionary War that won it for us? That it was France who gave us our Statue of Liberty, a Frenchman who built the Chevrolet, and a pair of French brothers who invented the movies? And now they are doing what only a good friend can do -- tell you the truth about yourself, straight, no b.s. Quit pissing on the French and thank them for getting it right for once. You know, you really should have traveled more (like once) before you took over. Your ignorance of the world has not only made you look stupid, it has painted you into a corner you can't get out of.

    Well, cheer up -- there IS good news. If you do go through with this war, more than likely it will be over soon because I'm guessing there aren't a lot of Iraqis willing to lay down their lives to protect Saddam Hussein. After you "win" the war, you will enjoy a huge bump in the popularity polls as everyone loves a winner -- and who doesn't like to see a good ass-whoopin' every now and then (especially when it 's some third world ass!). And just like with Afgh

  3. Let me get this straight... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    The worst terrorist attack in recorded history occurred in September 2001, followed by a WAR against Islam in Afghanistan and now we're about to be involved in ANOTHER war against Islam in Iraq, and you people have the gall to be discussing whether or not XML is too hard to use???? My *god*, people, GET SOME PRIORITIES!

    The bodies of the thousands of innocent civilians who died (and will die) in these unprecedented events could give a good god damn about obscure science fiction, your childish Lego models, your nerf toy guns and whining about the lack of a "fun" workplace, your Everquest/Diablo/D&D fixation, the latest Cowboy Bebop rerun, or any of the other ways you are "getting on with your life" (here's a hint: watching Cowboy Bebop in your jammies and eating a bowl of Shreddies is *not* "getting on with your life"). The souls of the victims are watching in horror as you people squander your finite, precious time on this earth playing video games!

    You people disgust me!

    1. Re:Let me get this straight... by matthewg42 · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      And what do you propose to do about it? Vote Bush out?

    2. Re:Let me get this straight... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
      Kind of funny how China, Norht Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc, all talk shit about how tough they are and then get their asses kicked. Like Kevin Mitnick getting rooted.


      Once Iraq is liberated, Iran better start worrying. But I think North Korea is next on the list.


      It's times like this I'm especially glad Al Gore (or Bill Clinton!) isn't President.

  4. I can't believe it !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    The 3rd World War will begin in less than 48 hours and we are talking of XML!!
    hell! GET SOME PRIORITIES!!

  5. Wonder if... by Cnik70 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I wonder if there is an XML standard to describe internet trolls...

    --
    -Cnik
  6. Re:Maybe he should have read Knuth by Micheal+Mooore · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    Monday, March 17th, 2003

    George W. Bush
    1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
    Washington, DC
    Dear Governor Bush:

    So today is what you call "the moment of truth," the day that "France and the rest of world have to show their cards on the table." I'm glad to hear that this day has finally arrived. Because, I gotta tell ya, having survived 440 days of your lying and conniving, I wasn't sure if I could take much more. So I'm glad to hear that today is Truth Day, 'cause I got a few truths I would like to share with you:

    1. There is virtually NO ONE in America (talk radio nutters and Fox News aside) who is gung-ho to go to war. Trust me on this one. Walk out of the White House and on to any street in America and try to find five people who are PASSIONATE about wanting to kill Iraqis. YOU WON'T FIND THEM! Why? 'Cause NO Iraqis have ever come here and killed any of us! No Iraqi has even threatened to do that. You see, this is how we average Americans think: If a certain so-and-so is not perceived as a threat to our lives, then, believe it or not, we don't want to kill him! Funny how that works!
    2. The majority of Americans -- the ones who never elected you -- are not fooled by your weapons of mass distraction. We know what the real issues are that affect our daily lives -- and none of them begin with I or end in Q. Here's what threatens us: two and a half million jobs lost since you took office, the stock market having become a cruel joke, no one knowing if their retirement funds are going to be there, gas now costs two dollars a gallon -- the list goes on and on. Bombing Iraq will not make any of this go away. Only you need to go away for things to improve.
    3. As Bill Maher said last week, how bad do you have to suck to lose a popularity contest with Saddam Hussein? The whole world is against you, Mr. Bush. Count your fellow Americans among them.
    4. The Pope has said this war is wrong, that it is a SIN. The Pope! But even worse, the Dixie Chicks have now come out against you! How bad does it have to get before you realize that you are an army of one on this war? Of course, this is a war you personally won't have to fight. Just like when you went AWOL while the poor were shipped to Vietnam in your place.
    5. Of the 535 members of Congress, only ONE (Sen. Johnson of South Dakota) has an enlisted son or daughter in the armed forces! If you really want to stand up for America, please send your twin daughters over to Kuwait right now and let them don their chemical warfare suits. And let's see every member of Congress with a child of military age also sacrifice their kids for this war effort. What's that you say? You don't THINK so? Well, hey, guess what -- we don't think so either!
    6. Finally, we love France. Yes, they have pulled some royal screw-ups. Yes, some of them can be pretty damn annoying. But have you forgotten we wouldn't even have this country known as America if it weren't for the French? That it was their help in the Revolutionary War that won it for us? That it was France who gave us our Statue of Liberty, a Frenchman who built the Chevrolet, and a pair of French brothers who invented the movies? And now they are doing what only a good friend can do -- tell you the truth about yourself, straight, no b.s. Quit pissing on the French and thank them for getting it right for once. You know, you really should have traveled more (like once) before you took over. Your ignorance of the world has not only made you look stupid, it has painted you into a corner you can't get out of.

    Well, cheer up -- there IS good news. If you do go through with this war, more than likely it will be over soon because I'm guessing there aren't a lot of Iraqis willing to lay down their lives to protect Saddam Hussein. After you "win" the war, you will enjoy a huge bump in the popularity polls as everyone loves a winner -- and who doesn't like to see a good ass-whoopin' every now and then (especially when it 's some third world ass!). And just like with Afgh

  7. Re:Really? by Micheael+Moore · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    Monday, March 17th, 2003

    George W. Bush
    1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
    Washington, DC
    Dear Governor Bush:

    So today is what you call "the moment of truth," the day that "France and the rest of world have to show their cards on the table." I'm glad to hear that this day has finally arrived. Because, I gotta tell ya, having survived 440 days of your lying and conniving, I wasn't sure if I could take much more. So I'm glad to hear that today is Truth Day, 'cause I got a few truths I would like to share with you:

    1. There is virtually NO ONE in America (talk radio nutters and Fox News aside) who is gung-ho to go to war. Trust me on this one. Walk out of the White House and on to any street in America and try to find five people who are PASSIONATE about wanting to kill Iraqis. YOU WON'T FIND THEM! Why? 'Cause NO Iraqis have ever come here and killed any of us! No Iraqi has even threatened to do that. You see, this is how we average Americans think: If a certain so-and-so is not perceived as a threat to our lives, then, believe it or not, we don't want to kill him! Funny how that works!
    2. The majority of Americans -- the ones who never elected you -- are not fooled by your weapons of mass distraction. We know what the real issues are that affect our daily lives -- and none of them begin with I or end in Q. Here's what threatens us: two and a half million jobs lost since you took office, the stock market having become a cruel joke, no one knowing if their retirement funds are going to be there, gas now costs two dollars a gallon -- the list goes on and on. Bombing Iraq will not make any of this go away. Only you need to go away for things to improve.
    3. As Bill Maher said last week, how bad do you have to suck to lose a popularity contest with Saddam Hussein? The whole world is against you, Mr. Bush. Count your fellow Americans among them.
    4. The Pope has said this war is wrong, that it is a SIN. The Pope! But even worse, the Dixie Chicks have now come out against you! How bad does it have to get before you realize that you are an army of one on this war? Of course, this is a war you personally won't have to fight. Just like when you went AWOL while the poor were shipped to Vietnam in your place.
    5. Of the 535 members of Congress, only ONE (Sen. Johnson of South Dakota) has an enlisted son or daughter in the armed forces! If you really want to stand up for America, please send your twin daughters over to Kuwait right now and let them don their chemical warfare suits. And let's see every member of Congress with a child of military age also sacrifice their kids for this war effort. What's that you say? You don't THINK so? Well, hey, guess what -- we don't think so either!
    6. Finally, we love France. Yes, they have pulled some royal screw-ups. Yes, some of them can be pretty damn annoying. But have you forgotten we wouldn't even have this country known as America if it weren't for the French? That it was their help in the Revolutionary War that won it for us? That it was France who gave us our Statue of Liberty, a Frenchman who built the Chevrolet, and a pair of French brothers who invented the movies? And now they are doing what only a good friend can do -- tell you the truth about yourself, straight, no b.s. Quit pissing on the French and thank them for getting it right for once. You know, you really should have traveled more (like once) before you took over. Your ignorance of the world has not only made you look stupid, it has painted you into a corner you can't get out of.

    Well, cheer up -- there IS good news. If you do go through with this war, more than likely it will be over soon because I'm guessing there aren't a lot of Iraqis willing to lay down their lives to protect Saddam Hussein. After you "win" the war, you will enjoy a huge bump in the popularity polls as everyone loves a winner -- and who doesn't like to see a good ass-whoopin' every now and then (especially when it 's some third world ass!). And just like with Afgh

  8. Re:Too hard? by MSBob · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Awesome. Thanks for sharing.

    --
    Your pizza just the way you ought to have it.
  9. Re:Really? by dubious9 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    First, please mod myself and parent down as off-topic.

    Dear Governor Bush

    Blantant disrespect. President Bush did not break any laws becoming president. Both He and Gore tried as hard as they could. Tell me Gore would have not persued similar actions if the rolls had been reversed. Two, the presidential election is not a popular vote. Blame the system if you are unhappy with the result. Dubbya is president. Get over it.

    Just like when you went AWOL while the poor were shipped to Vietnam in your place.

    G.W. was a fighter pilot in the reserves. There was a good chance that at any time his unit could have been called up. Ingoramus.

    Two, I support war. I personally have serval close friends in Kuwait, and offshore. The timing may be dubious, but Saddam needs to be disarmed and he's had more than a decade to do it. What reason do you think that he'd disarm himself.?

    Point: Pacificism and indesicion got the world into a heap of trouble before world war 2.

    Also, when my friends are out there fighting Iraqis, they will be fighting a lot of French military equipment. Also French subborness pushed a gun-ho president into war, when they could have at least considered a new resolution, and not flatly rejected it even before Iraqis. If the French wanted to delay war they could have. They just wanted war under no curcumstances. How could that be a rational option?

    Please someone explain the anti-war justification to me. I consider myself an open minded indiviual, for what reasons should we not go to war?

    --
    Why, o why must the sky fall when I've learned to fly?
  10. Re:Oh please! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Damn, that reminds me of a really bad joke...

    A guy gets through banging a girl in a hotel room. The girl is propped up on the pillows, smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer. The guy is doing the macho "after-sex" man stretch and looks over at her and says
    "So, how was it?"

    "I thought it pretty presumptuous of you to try and fuck me in the ass.."

    The guy thought about it for a second and then said
    "Wow.. Presumptuous is a mighty big word for an eight year old..."

    har har

  11. Re:In related news... by Oswald · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I'm gonna metamod everyday until I get a chance to whack the idiot who modded this "offtopic". Of course it's offtopic; it's also priceless. Thanks for the laughs, arvindn.

  12. Re:Too hard? by Xerithane · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Whoever modded this troll is a jingoistic zealot.

    Did you know if you search google for jingoistic that the first link is to the dictionary definition of it. That cracks me up.

    --
    Dacels Jewelers can't be trusted.