XML overuse? (was Re: Python to XML to Python conversion)

[François Pinard]

[Jonathan Hogg]

> Consider if resolv.conf used XML - perhaps something looking like:

>     <resolve-config>
>       <searchpath>
>         <domain> python.org </domain>
>       </searchpath>
>       <nameservers>
>         <nameserver>123.45.67.89</nameserver>
>         <nameserver>87.65.43.21</nameserver>
>       </nameservers>
>     </resolve-config>

> You might say that this is verbose and monstrous,

Your wish is my command.  This is verbose and monstrous! :-)

> but it's readable and fairly obvious in meaning.

The original non-XML format is also pretty readable and obvious in meaning.
Surely, there are advantages to XML, but at first glance here, it seems we
gain nothing but verbosity and monstrosity.  In my opinion, the advantages
have to be pretty real to justify such a change.  We should not go XML
for the only sake of going XML.

-- 
François Pinard   http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~pinard