It really is possible to make your point without being quite so obnoxious.
Everyone else seems to be able to do so. --Ray

-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Alexander Johannesen
Sent: Monday, October 25, 2010 3:38 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] MARCXML - What is it for?

Hiya,

On Tue, Oct 26, 2010 at 6:26 AM, Nate Vack <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Switching to an XML format doesn't help with that at all.

I'm willing to take it further and say that MARCXML was the worst thing the
library world ever did. Some might argue it was a good first step, and that
it was better with something rather than nothing, to which I respond ;

Poppycock!

MARCXML is nothing short of evil. Not only does it goes against every
principal of good XML anywhere (don't rely on whitespace, structure over
code, namespace conventions, identity management, document control,
separation of entities and properties, and on and on), it breaks the
ontological commitment that a better treatment of the MARC data could bring,
deterring people from actually a) using the darn thing as anything but a
bare minimal crutch, and b) expanding it to be actual useful and
interesting.

The quicker the library world can get rid of this monstrosity, the better,
although I doubt that will ever happen; it will hang around like a foul
stench for as long as there is MARC in the world. A long time. A long sad
time.

A few extra notes;
   http://shelterit.blogspot.com/2008/09/marcxml-beast-of-burden.html

Can you tell I'm not a fan? :)


Kind regards,

Alex
--
 Project Wrangler, SOA, Information Alchemist, UX, RESTafarian, Topic Maps
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