Re: [xml-dev] Six Reasons Not to use XML Attributes

[Dimitre Novatchev <dnovatchev@gmail.com>]

When I was working as a consultant in the past I actually was
recommending to use attributes and not element children -- whenever
possible.


Cheers,
Dimitre.

On Fri, Mar 2, 2012 at 7:51 AM, Dimitre Novatchev <dnovatchev@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 2, 2012 at 7:51 AM, Dimitre Novatchev <dnovatchev@gmail.com> wrote:
>> I don't find a single confincing argument listed.
>>
>> Actuallu, in most cases using attributes appropriately, *simplifies*
>> an XML document.
>>
>> Not to speak that for big documents the savings in memory may be dramatic.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Dimitre Novatchev
>>
>> On Fri, Mar 2, 2012 at 5:51 AM, Costello, Roger L. <costello@mitre.org> wrote:
>>> Hi Folks,
>>>
>>> 1.  XML attributes are specific to the XML data format. Other data formats,  such as
>>>    comma-separated values (CSV) and binary, don't have it. That is, taking a (element)
>>>    name with a (element) data value and then adding to that a (attribute) name/value
>>>    pair is specific to XML.
>>>
>>> 2.  Avoiding XML attributes makes your language simpler.
>>>
>>> 3.  When people use XML attributes they typically assign them some meaning. For example,
>>>    some people assign attributes the meaning "attributes are metadata." When you enter
>>>    the land of meaning (and its partner, interpretation) you enter the land of chaos [1]. By
>>>    eliminating attributes you have one less category of things to give meaning to and one
>>>    less category of things to be misinterpreted.
>>>
>>> 4.  XML Schemas that do not use xsd:attribute can be used to logically model other data
>>>    formats besides XML, using the Data Format Description Language (DFDL) [2].
>>>
>>> 5.  Attributes are never needed. For example,
>>>
>>>          The altitude is 12000 feet.
>>>
>>>    can be modeled using an attribute:
>>>
>>>         <altitude units="feet">12000</altitude>
>>>
>>>    However it can be equivalently modeled using just elements:
>>>
>>>        <altitude>
>>>             <units>feet</unit>
>>>             <value>12000</value>
>>>        </altitude>
>>>
>>> 6.  Michael Kay says that attributes are unnecessary [3]:
>>>
>>>      XML is too large. Attributes are unnecessary, mixed content is
>>>      unnecessary, namespaces are unnecessary: without these unnecessary
>>>      concepts, XSD and many other things would have been much simpler.
>>>
>>>
>>> Are there any more reasons not to use XML attributes?
>>>
>>> /Roger
>>>
>>> [1] http://www.xfront.com/The-edge-of-chaos-where-syntax-ends-and-interpretation-begins.pdf
>>>
>>> [2] https://www.ogf.org/dfdl/
>>>
>>> [3] http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/201112/msg00085.html
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Cheers,
>> Dimitre Novatchev
>> ---------------------------------------
>> Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence.
>> ---------------------------------------
>> To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk
>> -------------------------------------
>> Never fight an inanimate object
>> -------------------------------------
>> To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the
>> biggest mistake of all
>> ------------------------------------
>> Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.
>> -------------------------------------
>> You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what
>> you're doing is work or play
>> -------------------------------------
>> Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
>> -------------------------------------
>> I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it.
>
>
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Dimitre Novatchev
> ---------------------------------------
> Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence.
> ---------------------------------------
> To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk
> -------------------------------------
> Never fight an inanimate object
> -------------------------------------
> To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the
> biggest mistake of all
> ------------------------------------
> Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.
> -------------------------------------
> You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what
> you're doing is work or play
> -------------------------------------
> Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
> -------------------------------------
> I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it.



-- 
Cheers,
Dimitre Novatchev
---------------------------------------
Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence.
---------------------------------------
To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk
-------------------------------------
Never fight an inanimate object
-------------------------------------
To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the
biggest mistake of all
------------------------------------
Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.
-------------------------------------
You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what
you're doing is work or play
-------------------------------------
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
-------------------------------------
I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it.