Another fun one is the REX shallow XML parser algorithm that's been around for some time. Check out http://www.cs.sfu.ca/~cameron/REX.html and scroll to appendix A for a Perl implementation. I recently had to reverse-engineer this approach and write a stack-based parser to run in an environment where Perl's:?$foo construct was broken. Much fun...
A few years ago a tree-hugging co-worker was excited to find that Textronix had a recycling program for the cartridges used in a color laser printer. The cartriges contain one replaceable consumable part and are easily refilled without causing any damage to the cartrige whatsoever. We thought that, perhaps, a company was actually trying to avoid filling landfills with more empty toner cartriges.
He called Tektronix and asked about their "Waste To Energy" program for recycling their toner cartridges. What did he learn?
"If you ship the cartridges to us, we'll gladly incinerate them for you."
XML only sucks if you apply it where XML sucks...
on
Why XML Doesn't Suck
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
I work for a publishing services firm that is focusing on XML-based production of print and online materials, ranging from books to scientific journals to grade-school testing applications.
Simply put, XML is the best tool available for storing content to be databased, searched, rendered in multiple formats and broken apart and reconstituted into custom documents. XML also lends itself nicely to the representation of complex mathematics using MathML. Because of this, we've based many of our production processes on XML.
One particular journal we produce is a heavily mathematical, 250 page weekly scientific journal. This journal is produced in both print and online forms, as well as being databased by the publisher. Using tools such as Arbortext Epic (www.arbortext.com) for content editing and Advent 3B2 (www.advent3b2.com) for semi-unattended formatting we are able to produce the journal with a staff of only 10 people. A year ago, it took twice as many people and the end product was not nearly as flexible. In this application, XML rocks.
However, using XML in every application imaginable without considering whether or not it's the appropriate tool can be quite foolish. A hammer is great for pounding on things, but is pretty worthless in nearly every other application. A lot of the frustration felt by coders implementing XML solutions is due to the fact that it may not be the best tool for the job.
Slashdot Mirror
Another fun one is the REX shallow XML parser algorithm that's been around for some time. Check out http://www.cs.sfu.ca/~cameron/REX.html and scroll to appendix A for a Perl implementation. I recently had to reverse-engineer this approach and write a stack-based parser to run in an environment where Perl's :?$foo construct was broken. Much fun...
A few years ago a tree-hugging co-worker was excited to find that Textronix had a recycling program for the cartridges used in a color laser printer. The cartriges contain one replaceable consumable part and are easily refilled without causing any damage to the cartrige whatsoever. We thought that, perhaps, a company was actually trying to avoid filling landfills with more empty toner cartriges.
He called Tektronix and asked about their "Waste To Energy" program for recycling their toner cartridges. What did he learn?
"If you ship the cartridges to us, we'll gladly incinerate them for you."
I work for a publishing services firm that is focusing on XML-based production of print and online materials, ranging from books to scientific journals to grade-school testing applications.
Simply put, XML is the best tool available for storing content to be databased, searched, rendered in multiple formats and broken apart and reconstituted into custom documents. XML also lends itself nicely to the representation of complex mathematics using MathML. Because of this, we've based many of our production processes on XML.
One particular journal we produce is a heavily mathematical, 250 page weekly scientific journal. This journal is produced in both print and online forms, as well as being databased by the publisher. Using tools such as Arbortext Epic (www.arbortext.com) for content editing and Advent 3B2 (www.advent3b2.com) for semi-unattended formatting we are able to produce the journal with a staff of only 10 people. A year ago, it took twice as many people and the end product was not nearly as flexible. In this application, XML rocks.
However, using XML in every application imaginable without considering whether or not it's the appropriate tool can be quite foolish. A hammer is great for pounding on things, but is pretty worthless in nearly every other application. A lot of the frustration felt by coders implementing XML solutions is due to the fact that it may not be the best tool for the job.