At last sanity!. XML is just another technical solution in search of a problem.

Many years ago a user said "We have a problem sending our orders to  xyz co. ltd -  their system doesnt understand our systems data format". A passing techy thought "I could fix that!" and suggested xml. Therby missing the point completely.

The real issue when communicating data twixt diferent systems is not that system B does not know which field holds system A's stock code, its that a stock code on system A is "00123" but on system B its "WIDGET01".  XML doesnt begin to address this.

Good data storage mediums are simple, efficient and transparent to applications. XML is complex, massively wasteful of storage and computationally an open ended black hole. It is fundamentally inappropriate as a data storage medium, and a poor choice for data transfer.

Cage rattled ?