Bad Business (was Re: advocating XML)

[David Megginson <david@megginson.com>]

This is a strange thread -- I'll admit to not having read every
posting, but why *should* anyone want to go out and advocate XML where
it might not be needed?

If comma-delimited does everything someone wants, then it makes sense
to stick with it.  If the person later wants to do stuff that
comma-delimited makes too hard (nested/recursive structures, optional
and repeatable fields, partly self-describing format, structural
validation, markup mixed into a text stream, etc.) then, and only
then, does it make sense to come and talk with us, the XML community.

There's no point anticipating those problems -- a competent manager
should wait until they actually come up.  Paying the high cost of a
transition to XML (or any other shiny new technology) early and up
front when it might never be needed is bad business.


All the best,


David

-- 
David Megginson                 david@megginson.com
           http://www.megginson.com/