provocations and realities (was Re: Fwd: [xml-dev] Not using mixed content? Then don't use XML)

On 4/8/13 11:11 AM, Fraser Goffin forwarded:
>     Simon is being argumentative and provocative in order to elicit
>     responses, and, whilst there's a grain of truth in what he says, it's
>     far from the whole story. :-)

Liam, you know me.  If I wanted to be provocative, I'd be saying 
something like "If this [RDF-tastic pile] is an improvement to XML, then 
I am a dandelion."

While yes, these claims are provocative, and I don't claim to be 
all-knowing, I am very definitely claiming that schema-centric design is 
harmful because the costs vastly outweigh the benefits, not merely to 
stir entertaining conversation.

I do have other things to do.

I am not entirely surprised that people who've spent their working lives 
with schemas and similar tools have a hard time seeing the costs.  It's 
not a matter of delusion or of evil - it's a matter of what we have 
trained ourselves to see.  That training is extremely difficult to set 
aside.

At least I'm getting a gentler reaction than Walter Perry used to get, 
though it may just be that I'm offering a milder line.

(For those who have forgotten Walter's talks or arrived after he had 
moved on, http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2002/05/29/perry.html is a good place 
to start.  For those who want deeper background on what is driving me to 
write these things now, see <http://www.amazon.com/dp/0199898073/> or 
<http://www.amazon.com/dp/0195032233/>.)

Thanks,
-- 
Simon St.Laurent
http://simonstl.com/