[occi-wg] Votes: XML vs. JSON vs. TXT

[Edmonds, AndrewX]

JSON is fine with me and is a good target output format for the 1st rev of OCCI. However it's the model that is the important thing for me.

In my view* there's a protocol, a data structure and an on-the-wire format.

 - Like Alexis said, the protocol is "a sequence of behaviours" - how the communication happens and is mediated. This is our set of verbs. This is, for example, can be mediated by REST.
 - The data structure is the model. This is how each noun is related to each other and what attribute is part of what noun. Models can be somewhat ephemeral, often expressed as programming language agnostic UML, BNF, XSD or indeed using a programming language e.g. Java, C etc (but then model portability is limited).
 - On-the-wire format is what we're currently talking about (JSON, XML, TXT). The raw output of our model.

The latter 2 can be compared to a compiler - the model is the language and along with a frontend, it generates an AST (an object graph). With the object graph, it's easy to output binary machine code via a backend on whatever platform required. This is similar to if I was to code my model in say Java, instantiate an object graph and then render that graph using any serialiser. For example using XStream[1] I can output my model using XML and JSON (the machine code).

So currently in my view there's consensus around a protocol - REST (hope that's fair to say); consensus forming on data structures; confusion on on-the-wire formats.

If we don't finalise our data structures (model) we won't resolve the on-the-wire format quickly.

Andy

* Apologies if this is stating the obvious :-)
[1] http://xstream.codehaus.org

-----Original Message-----
From: occi-wg-bounces at ogf.org [mailto:occi-wg-bounces at ogf.org] On Behalf Of Richard Davies
Sent: 07 May 2009 08:37
To: occi-wg at ogf.org
Subject: [occi-wg] Votes: XML vs. JSON vs. TXT

I'd like to conduct a straw poll of members on this list.

Tim Bray wrote:
> 4. Specific advice on multiple formats
>
> Don't do it. Pick one data format and stick with it.

and that does make me question our (/my!) current proposal of multiple
formats with automatic conversion.


I'd like to conduct a poll of everyone on this list considering the 3 format
options:

- XML
- JSON
- TXT

Please can people reply to this post casting a single vote for their most
preferred of these three formats. I'll tabulate the responses. If there's a
clear winner, we should probably go with it alone. If there's a split, then
multiple format support as we're currently proposing may be the answer.


I'm going to start the counts with the clearly stated opinions which I've
seen to date (listed below). If I'm misrepresenting anyone, then please
also reply and I'll change your vote in my count.

XML: 3
- Kristoffer Sheather http://www.ogf.org/pipermail/occi-wg/2009-May/000430.html
- Sam Johnston http://www.ogf.org/pipermail/occi-wg/2009-May/000381.html
- William Vambenepe http://www.ogf.org/pipermail/occi-wg/2009-May/000396.html

JSON: 7
- Alexis Richardson http://www.ogf.org/pipermail/occi-wg/2009-May/000405.html
- Andy Edmonds? http://www.ogf.org/pipermail/occi-wg/2009-May/000420.html
- Ben Black http://www.ogf.org/pipermail/occi-wg/2009-May/000395.html
- Randy Bias? (JSON listed first at http://wiki.gogrid.com/wiki/index.php/API:Anatomy_of_a_GoGrid_API_Call)
- Richard Davies http://www.ogf.org/pipermail/occi-wg/2009-May/000409.html (split EH vote)
- Tino Vazquez? http://www.ogf.org/pipermail/occi-wg/2009-May/000411.html
- Tim Bray http://www.ogf.org/pipermail/occi-wg/2009-May/000418.html

TXT: 1
- Chris Webb http://www.ogf.org/pipermail/occi-wg/2009-May/000409.html (split EH vote)
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