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Google Open Sources Its Data Interchange Format

Posted by kdawson on from the it's-fast-that's-why dept.

A number of readers have noted Google's open sourcing of their internal data interchange format, called Protocol Buffers (here's the code and the doc). Google elevator statement for Protocol Buffers is "a language-neutral, platform-neutral, extensible way of serializing structured data for use in communications protocols, data storage, and more." It's the way data is formatted to move around inside of Google. Betanews spotlights some of Protocol Buffers' contrasts with XML and IDL, with which it is most comparable. Google's blogger claims, "And, yes, it is very fast — at least an order of magnitude faster than XML."

15 of 332 comments (clear)

  1. An order of magnitude over XML? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    So is, well, just about anything.

    1. Re:An order of magnitude over XML? by alexgieg · · Score: 4, Funny

      An order of magnitude over XML? So is, well, just about anything.

      Well, let's also not forget that the meaning of the expression "an order of magnitude" depends strongly from the numeric base you're using.

      --
      Conservatism: (n.) love of the existing evils. Liberalism: (n.) desire to substitute new evils for the existing ones.
    2. Re:An order of magnitude over XML? by kriston · · Score: 3, Funny

      Oh, I'm a little ashamed that I recognize this message as CORBA flamebait.

      --

      Kriston

    3. Re:An order of magnitude over XML? by sconeu · · Score: 4, Funny

      Nobody makes jokes in Base 13!

      --
      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
  2. Likely story! by TheRealMindChild · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Google's blogger claims, "And, yes, it is very fast -- at least an order of magnitude faster than XML."

    That is just because they aren't using enough XML!

    --

    "When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back!" -- Cave Johnson
    1. Re:Likely story! by jandrese · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah, I mean XML didn't earn its reputation for being lightning fast and byte efficient for nothing...

      --

      I read the internet for the articles.
    2. Re:Likely story! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Hi Google,

      Is there any library to serialize that Protocol Buffers thing to XML?

      Thanks.

  3. I bet ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... it requires piping data through google's servers for data mining and ad injection purposes.

    1. Re:I bet ... by eddy · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hey, that's a pretty cool concept.

      $ cat spanish.txt | http://google.com/language_tools/tr?ESEN | grep "terrorist"

      I'm sure I'm years late to the party. <sigh>

      --
      Belief is the currency of delusion.
  4. Re:No PERL API ??!!?? by Shut+the+fuck+up! · · Score: 0, Funny

    perl -e 'print "Shut the fuck up!\n"'

  5. Re:Now just release Goobuntu... by fph+il+quozientatore · · Score: 2, Funny

    Here, fixed the typo for you:

    Now just release Boobuntu...
    ... and we'll be happy

    --
    My first program:

    Hell Segmentation fault

  6. Re:Have they ever heard of BER/DER? by Dan+Berlin · · Score: 3, Funny

    Uh, having one of the OpenSSL guys working down the hall, he certainly said he would shoot himself if he had to work with ASN.1 again.

  7. Re:How about C? by vigmeister · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, I can't translate C++ to C until after it is DECLASSIFIED...

    *rimshot*

    Cheers!

    --
    Atheist: Buddhist in a Prius
  8. I have an XML alternative format too. by IGnatius+T+Foobar · · Score: 3, Funny

    I have my own data format that is an alternative to XML as well. It works by normalizing the data into records which all contain the same number of fields, and placing an agreed-upon delimiter between each field. The end of the record is indicated by a newline.

    I think this "delimited" format has a lot of potential.

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    Tired of FB/Google censorship? Visit UNCENSORED!
  9. Elevator Statement by somethingwicked · · Score: 2, Funny

    Google elevator statement for Protocol Buffers is "a language-neutral, platform-neutral, extensible way of serializing structured data for use in communications protocols, data storage, and more."

    Christ, I hope I'm never in an elevator with someone who would consider THAT an elevator statement.

    --

    ---"What did I say that sounded like 'Tell me about your day?'"---