[Opensim-dev] what to use for serializing structures? LLSD? XmlSerializer? JSON?

[Dr Scofield]

Stefan Andersson wrote:
> * LLSD is just awful - a hodgepodge compromise between doing the old 
> thing and doing the right thing. Let's _please_ stay well clear of that.
> * JSON is really really cool for browser-oriented apps, but is there a 
> schema for it?
there is at least a grammar for it: www.json.org, right on the front page.
> * XML is XML. Industry standard, well proven, and actually has stuff 
> like XML Schema, which is what you'd use to add type information to 
> data; schema or not, the serializer infers type from the serialized class.
true.
>
> We at Tribal are using a Serialized Command Object approach, where we 
> POST XmlSerialized "Command Objects", which can reference any other 
> serializable type. Kind of an Ultralight Web Service. Easy as pie to 
> produce output, and a pice of cake to parse it. Not any more wordy 
> than what's needed to have human-readable datagrams with extensible 
> semantics.
>  
> Works like a charm.
>  
> I believe this approach is part of what MW talked about in his posts 
> on services from a while back.
ok. will have to look that up then.

considering that we are looking into this from a REST angle for external 
control applications, i'm still leaning towards JSON: easy to do AJAX 
interface, easy to use from python (and other scripting languages).

but let's see what else we'll get regarding opinions. so far i've 
collected 5 votes on 
http://xyzzyxyzzy.net/2008/05/14/serialization-format-for-opensim-rest-services/ 
;-)

    cheers,
    dr scofield

-- 
dr dirk husemann, mathmatics and computer science, ibm zurich research lab
SL: dr scofield ---- drscofield at xyzzyxyzzy.net ---- http://xyzzyxyzzy.net/
RL: hud at zurich.ibm.com - +41 44 724 8573 - http://www.zurich.ibm.com/~hud/