[occi-wg] Simple JSON rendering for OCCI

[Alexis Richardson]

Sam,

On Wed, May 13, 2009 at 1:23 AM, Sam Johnston <samj at samj.net> wrote:
>
> Yes you can define a model and map it directly to a wire format like JSON (a
> process that has been suggested a number of times already even today) but
> when you need to modify it you need to go through the same process and risk
> breaking existing code while you're at it. The result is both brittle and
> inextensible

Please can you spell out this argument so that I can understand it.
When is a wire format "like" JSON, and why does modifying the format
create a "brittle" system?

I have yet to see any convincing argument that JSON is worse for OCCI
core than XML.

Extensibility is the enemy of interoperability.  We should XML for
Integration at the edge.  NOT for the interop core.


> which is fine for Twitter but useless for real applications
> like OCCI on which enterprises will be looking to depend.

Meaning what exactly?

"Enterprise" is a politically loaded term with no fixed denotation.
See here just one example of "enterprise" being interpreted in a
manner convenient to the author:
http://www.zhen.org/zen20/2009/05/13/google-lost-grip-on-enterprise-reality/




>> However, because optional formats will (by definition) not be universal
>> and
>> hence not something that portable apps can rely on, and given that I (like
>> you) am in the minority with this view, realistically I have to accept
>> that
>> we'll end up specifying mandatory data format(s) which wrap(s) the data in
>> pointless fluff.
>
> Your "pointless fluff" is anothers' absolute requirement

Requirement for integration or for interop.?  A requirement for
integration, may indeed be pointless for interop.  It may even be
fluffy :-)



> Here's the alternatives ordered by decreasing complexity... even vCloud is
> significantly less complicated on the wire than WS-* so far as I can tell:
>
> WS-* (SOAP/XML-RPC)
> DMTF (vCloud/OVF)
> OCCI-XML <- sweet spot IMO
> OCCI-JSON
> TXT

Good diagram.  I agree with the order but not the sweet spot.

So I think we are all gradually getting closer to being able to debate
specific issues without other issues getting in the way.  This is
great progress.

alexis