xml-dev - RE: power uses of XML vs. simple uses of XML

["Gavin Thomas Nicol" <gtn@ebt.com>]

> I occasionally hear claims that "they just don't understand", but I think
> there's something a lot deeper than that going on.  What exactly, I'm not
> sure, but I suspect that practice will differ from best practice will
> differ from specification in a lot of unexpected ways over the next few
> years, and likely because of this disconnect.

I must say that I share Simon's view here: from my experience, a lot of
people that are starting to use XML, do so only minimally: they use the
basic language, and little else. The more things we add, the more they
have to learn, and hence the higher the barrier to entry. 

I think that XML, the language, is a great infrastructure component
(ie. it's generally applicable), but many of the newer specifications, 
notes, TR's etc. add complexity and are somewhat domain-specific.

For example, namespaces are only useful if you plan to mix and match tag
sets. Schemas are only useful in some situations: many XML applications
built today already have data validation in them (in code).
 
I'm fortunate in that part of my normal day is spent "on the other side",
in fact, recently, that has been the majority of my day: it helps me to
keep a balanced view... and that view typically includes but a few of
the technologies being developed.

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