Re: configuration files

[David Leimbach <leimy2k@xxxxxxx>]

On Dec 11, 2003, at 7:16 PM, Christopher Weimann wrote:

> On 12/11/2003-12:46PM, Dave Leimbach wrote:
> > If such a toolset existed I think all reasons to not use XML would be
> > gone.
>
> But what are the resons TO use XML?

many pre-written parsers is a good reason :).  The ability to use a good
DOM tool to update/modify any XML document is pretty nice too.

If these reasons don't appeal to you don't use it :).  There is a lot of
stuff I don't use but I don't question its usefulness or suitability 
just
because I haven't used it before.  [I just finished installing Plan9
as a matter of fact... I don't know anyone personally who uses it for
anything... but people seem to like it for some things so I am giving
it a whirl.  In order for me to think outside the box... I have to 
break out
of the one I am in first and look around no matter how comfortable
it may seem.]

> I have always viewed XML as more of an interchange format.  If you
> aren't going to exchange data with somebody why do you need to use
> that type of format?  Right now rc.conf for example is effectively
> a shell script.  I find that very useful.  I source /etc/rc.conf
> in shell scripts and firewall scripts all the time.
XML is not merely an interchange format... its also a great intermediate
way to store data that will always be parseable somehow.  You've got 
about
20+ parsers at your fingertips pre-written that can handle it.  To make 
sense
of it you use a DTD or a Schema.

Having XML allows you do do Queries via XPath.  There is a lot of XML 
based
technology opened up to you when you use it.  XSLT can transform the 
data into
other formats.

I really don't care if we use XML for configuration files at all... I 
just don't think its
a horrible idea provided I don't have to key it in by hand.

I can also think of more reasons to use it than not to use it.... 
that's somewhat
compelling.  But then again I don't *need* it.

Dave