Re: XML is right for data formats

I have already created an XML DTD template for the ballot style
which Alan has demonstrated in his homepage. We had kind of
reached an "agreement" on using XML and gnosis.xml utilities
for parsing the XML files.

I wonder why a rethinking is needed on the data format now.
Instead why dont we get on with designing the rest of the XML
Document Types?

The XML DTD and the sample XML file must be available in
sourceforge evm project page. Otherwise ask Matt Shomphe for
the same.

Regards

-Anand

On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 18:24:43 -0400, "David Mertz"
<voting-project@gnosis.cx> said:
> |One thing we need to resolve before you can get very far is the file
> format.
> |What will the uncompressed plain text ballot image look like? Do we
> have
> |116 columns with X indicating the vote and blank for no vote, with the
> |write-ins listed after that? It might be easier -- and more
> comprehensible
> |for the audience -- to display the selections for the 13 races comma
> |delimited, with any write-ins inserted into the appropriate column.
>
> Bleach. These are precisely the types of data that XML is best suited
> for (and far more flexible than fixed length and CSV records).
>

-- 
  Anand Pillai
  abpillai@nospammail.net
-- 
http://www.fastmail.fm - Or how I learned to stop worrying and
                          love email again
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