Re: Data format

[Christopher Blizzard <blizzard@appliedtheory.com>]

Roger Dingledine wrote:
> 
> 
> However, there are two parts to the format issue: there's the metalanguage
> (for which XML is a good answer), and there's the question of what fields
> we want to use. How was wrap those fields is a nice thing to answer, but I
> think the biggest question right now is which fields we're going to use. This
> is something that I'd like to get the people in charge of the news sites to
> hash out, because presumably they're the ones who would be getting and using
> this data.
> 

If everyone describes their data model I can collect the common elements
and make sure that the DTD suits everyone's common needs.

> Can I put you in charge of making sure XML will still fit with our plans as we
> start fleshing things out, Chris?

I can do that.

> 
> >This may seem a little verbose but it does a really good job of
> >describing the data involved.  Also, it doesn't dictate the format in
> >which the data is stored in the backend.  It can be stored as a news
> >spool file, in a relational database backend or flat files.
> >
> >More importantly, it does more to describe the data in the article.  A
> >couple of examples:
> >
> >Additionally, this system allows your current system of storage to
> >remain intact.  I personally use a mysql database for storing articles.
> >Since relational databases tend to put very strict requirements on data,
> >generating XML from them is cake.
> 
> Can you elaborate on this? Exactly where are you proposing we use XML?
> 

We can use XML for the actual transfer of content from one site to
another, independent of the transport method, web, nntp, whatever.

> Also, can you point me to some good URLs that explain xml, given that I
> already grok html and sgml?
> 

Check out the The Annotated XML Specification:

http://www.xml.com/axml/testaxml.htm

-- 

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Christopher Blizzard
http://odin.appliedtheory.com/
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