

JSON: The Fat-Free Alternative to XML - bootload
http://www.json.org/fatfree.html

======
jrockway
Is the existence of JSON news?

~~~
bootload
_"'Is the existence of JSON news?': JSON's simple values are the same as used
in programming languages. JSON's structures look like conventional programming
language structures. No restructuring is necessary. JSON's object is record,
struct, object, dictionary, hash, or associate array. JSON's array is array,
vector, sequence, or list ..."_

It's not the existence that makes it worth posting. It's the why it's used.

One of the questions I was wrestling with yesterday was, _"Why am I thinking
of using XML as a data format when all I want to do is give users access to
their data?"._ "Do I really need to spend excessive time developing a data
standard with XML schema's . Then burden my code with machinery to manipulate
it?"* _"Do users really want this now?"_. Asking these questions I realised
the approach I was taking was code-calorie rich. Too rich and the better
alternative is "Fat-free" JSON. Hence the inclusion.

    
    
        ".. The cost of adding a feature 
        isn't just the time it takes 
        to code it. The cost also 
        includes the addition of an 
        obstacle to future expansion. 
        ... The trick is to pick the 
        features that don't fight 
        each other." 
    
    

I used to hang out on Slashdot a lot and I remember reading an interview with
John Carmack back in the 90's. I can't find the references now. But the gist
of it summarised in the above Carmack quote. HackerNews is what hackers find
interesting. Data formats are interesting. Choose the wrong one and you may
hamper yourself later on. Case in point is a new xml format that is in
development. It work well. But does it need the extra 30Mb in software libs to
run it? ~
[http://knitml.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/knitml/knitml_core/...](http://knitml.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/knitml/knitml_core/tags/release-0.1/trunk/src/main/resources/com/knitml/core/xml/pattern-0.1.xsd?view=markup)

When making things a lot of the time there is no one "right" choice. Just lots
of little ones ~ <http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Carmack>

~~~
jrockway
Data formats are interesting, but I think everyone that reads this site has
been using JSON for centuries now.

~~~
bootload
_"... Data formats are interesting, but I think everyone that reads this site
has been using JSON for centuries now. ..."_

Are you sure?

The disqus guys I imagine they read this site or at least represent the
readership. Well go check a disqus account and go to
<http://disqus.com/configure/username> then
<http://disqus.com/migrate/username> and what do you get? Xml and Rss. So
there goes that idea.

I wonder if the readers on this site and/or those who use JSON use it because
it's just there in their toolkits. Or do they purposefully choose it after
asking why?

