Re: [debian-sparc] Which is best distro for Ultra 10
> > > Do you mean to tell me that XML is _not_ taking over the world?
> > In some applications. I'm more interested in lower level software.
> > There is no XML version of machine code or IP - and something tells me
> > there never will be :-)
> Would RFC3252 change your mind?
I stand corrected *bows head to your supirior knowledge*
BUT
I think this RFC is aimed in completely the wrong direction. A neat and
standards compliant form of notation - I can see the use. Althought I
would say that tcpdump / ethereal do it quite well already. Perhaps as
a way of storing record of TCP/IP... then maybe... XML is good for
storing structured data so... perhaps.
But not as an actual working protocol as suggested by this RFC. A 20 to
30 fold increase in bandwidth useage for the same degree of service,
having to replace all switching and routing equipment - it's just not
practical.
Plus I don't see that any of the problems that it claims to address are
actually problems:
"dependencies on proprietary and hard-to-understand binary protocols" -
IMHO TCP/IP is neither,
"eliminating developer time spent figuring out the intricacies of each
new protocol" - how many people routinely write software for an average
machine connected to a network that actually needs to play with TCP/IP
at this level?
"mitigates concerns over "network vs. host" byte ordering which is at
the root of many network application bugs." - it's simple enough really,
use htonl, etc. or Sun RPC or ... this is not the size of problem that
needs this size of solution - it's not really that big a problem at all
- there is already a standard for this sort of thing.
Finally "Security considerations that apply to IP, TCP and UDP also
likely apply to BLOAT as it does not attempt to correct for issues not
related to message format." - IE use IPv6
My initial example was wrong but thank you for providing a fine example
of why XML is not suitable for all tasks - even in an ideal world.
Sorry about being completely OT. I again suggest anyone wanting to
continue this joins me in doing so off list.
Sweet Dreams,
- Martin
--
Martin
inkubus@interalpha.co.uk
"Seasons change, things come to pass"
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