Re: Is XML a language or a data format?

Artificial distinction really. How can we really distinguish the human
brain from a machine and how can we absolutely distinguish between rules
for processing by machines from rules for understanding by humans? There is
always an overlap. It is a spectrum, not a binary distinction. XML bridges
much of the spectrum.
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Stephen D Green


On Thu, 14 Jul 2022 at 10:53, Roger L Costello <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi Folks,
>
>
>
> Yesterday a colleague made a fascinating distinction between “language”
> and “data format”:
>
>
>
>    - First he noted that English is a language, not a data format.
>    Likewise, Java is a language, not a data format.
>    - A language is specified by a grammar. There is a grammar for English
>    and a grammar for Java. A language is intended to read by humans.
>    - A data format probably does not have a grammar. It oftentimes is
>    simply a collection of pieces and parts. It is intended to be processed by
>    a machine. An example of a data format is JPEG (Exif). There is no grammar
>    for it. It is just a series of parts pieced together as the graphic below
>    illustrates.
>
> Do you agree with that distinction? How do you define language? How do you
> define data format? How do they differ?
>
>
>
> Is XML a language or a data format?
>
>
>
> There is an XML grammar. XML is intended to be read by humans. Therefore,
> XML is a language. Right?
>
>
>
> On the other hand, XML is a format for structuring data. XML is intended
> to be processed by machines. Therefore, XML is a data format. Right?
>
>
>
> Which is it, a language or a data format?
>
>
>
> /Roger
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>