Phil Factor (3/13/2011)
Do I think we should keep looking for a more universal, metadata and format rich format? Absolutely because, right now, you can't even just copy and paste between MS products without something going wrong.
I couldn't agree more. I don't know why you think I'm whining. I'm merely pointing out that there is no reasonable standard way of doing this.I just want to shake you guys out of your Comedy-Limited mentality for sharing tabular data. It isn't good enough. Do we want another generation to wince when asked to export a report to a spreadheet? Does anybody seriously attempt to suggest that XML is a reasonable attempt at doing so? CSV, bless it, has no built-in way of transmitting the metadata and has design flaws (e.g. the decimal comma, and the 'escaping' of the end-of-line)
Given just a little bit of encouragement, I think might shall just go away and produce a standard myself. After all, if Doug Crockford can produce JSON virtually single-handed, then it must be achievable.
Ah. Bloody hurriedly-typed written word. I didn't mean to make it sound like your were personally whining. It's a whine throughout the industry hence attempts at a universal protocol such as EDI, XML, and, now, JSON. My most sincere apologies.
I agree... we've a long way to go and things like CSV (comedy or true) and XML aren't exactly the bees-knees when it comes to meta-data or even the data itself.
Actually, my ol' friend, this conversation may have done just what you've intended. I've had an epiphany that just knocked me out of my chair and, now, I have some research to do. 🙂 As you say, if Doug Crockford can do it, so can you and I. :w00t:
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.