Re: [xml-dev] May a thousand meta-languages flourish

[Steve Newcomb <srn@coolheads.com>]

Fundamentally, all languages serve exactly the same purpose: symbolic 
communication.  The difference between meta-language and language is one 
of perspective; it's not intrinsic.   In general, may an unlimited 
number of languages, useful for an unlimited number of purposes, flourish.

And they will flourish (and wither) whether we like it or not.  The 
creation of a new language designed to meet requirements already met by 
an existing language is by definition an anti-pattern, but it happens 
all the time.  It's part of human reality.  Fundamentally, one cannot 
say anything new without designing a way to say it. Perhaps it's a new 
way, and perhaps not.  It's not practical to find out which, and it's 
never a de-novo invention anyway.

It's a design *meta*-pattern to take the reality of Babel into account, 
because that reality touches everything we do as cultural creatures and 
as creatures of our cultures.

Much misery could be avoided by judicious application of the 
above-mentioned meta-pattern, but there's evidently a shortage of will 
to apply it.   A sad human reality: *how* things are said is much easier 
to criticize (and demonize) than *what* is being said.

I'm noticing that this sure is a long, hot summer.  I wonder whether our 
propensity for violence is somehow inherent in the curse of Babel, or 
are the differences in our ways of saying things merely excuses for 
starting new cycles of violence?  It does appear that the *how* is a 
handy excuse for violence of every kind, and violence begets violence 
until (a) the *what* finally becomes more important than the *how*, or 
(b) everyone's exhausted or dead, whichever comes first.

On 07/26/2014 08:51 AM, Costello, Roger L. wrote:
> Hi Folks,
>
> I have been using XML a long time. I think it's fabulous.
>
> Recently I have been immersed in JSON. I think it's also fabulous.
>
> Which is better: XML or JSON?
>
> I think that's the wrong question. The right question is: why are they so fabulous?
>
> XML and JSON are really not so different. They are both meta-languages. That is, they instruct users: "Create your languages by following this form."
>
> There is no reason to believe that the XML form or the JSON form is the one divine form.
>
> But, the concept of defining a meta-language and then deriving languages from it, well, that is a truly divine idea.
>
> XML and JSON should be treated as good meta-languages. That is, they provide fine examples of how to create languages: define a meta-language first and then from it create languages.
>
> Are you part of a community that needs to create a collection of languages? Create a meta-language first and then derive your languages from it.
>
> May a thousand meta-languages flourish.
>
> I welcome your thoughts.
>
> /Roger
>
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