Where the XML goes

XML XML technology has almost become a common standard of Internet Information exchange in the world. But the technology industry is gradually recognizing that XML, while useful, has a side effect: slow performance.   This issue has prompted the community to try to speed up the flow of XML. Supporters say that if X-ml is thin, from internet commerce to mobile phone data exchange, the speed of all kinds of traffic will be promoted. So far, however, there has been no consensus on how to speed up the pace of XML. The crux of the   problem is that at the moment, the XML standard requires that information be stored in plain text (text). That means that an XML file, such as an order form or Web page, can be read by a text reader or an XML parser. However, because the XML format requires that each element in the file be accompanied by a volume label and written in writing, the file is usually large, causing the download performance problem. Furthermore, XML Schema protocol, or network services (Web service), also generates a large amount of XML traffic.   "XML is not only verbose, but also wasteful in terms of the actual amount of data being transmitted," said Jeff Lamb, Leader technologies CTO. The company's graphic TV application software needs to be used heavily xml,lamb believe it is necessary to make changes.   The candidate technologies that are most likely to assist in mitigating XML productivity pressures are called "two-dollar XML" (binary XML) and must be paired with a new format that compresses the content of XML transmissions.   Sun has started to develop the fast Infoset program for open source code based on two meta XML. At the same time, the Global Information Network consortium, a standard organization responsible for XML, also set up a two-character working group that would consider putting XML in binary format.   The Fast Infoset program proposes to condense the XML file into a binary format, using a compression method that has become standard in the telecommunications industry. Initial test results show that the implementation efficiency of the new format is faster than that of the original 两、三倍. The goal of the Fast Infoset program is to encourage developers to build standardized two-dollar formats.   Consumer device manufacturers such as Canon Inc., as well as mobile phone manufacturers such as Nokia, are all in solidarity with the two-dollar XML format. They say that if you do not adopt two-dollar XML, it is too time-consuming to download large files such as images to devices such as mobile phones.   At first glance, compressing XML files in very different file formats seems like a reasonable solution. But many are concerned about the incompatibility of various XML versions.   For example, a two-dollar format for a variety of specific uses may emerge in the future, such as an encoder needed to transmit images to consumer electronics, but unlike other encoders, the message is not interoperable. &nBsp Tim Bray, head of the Sun Software group and co-founder of XML, said he questioned the idea of translating XML into any format other than text.   "XML is an ordinary, plain text, so you can open it with Notepad, which is actually a great advantage," he said. "Once you deviate from the path of this straight line, you risk losing interoperability." "  Bray points out that there are other ways to accelerate XML traffic, such as improving network online and improving data processing efficiency.   IBM Information Management Business Group general manager Janet Perna said that one of the two-dollar XML substitution method is to deal with the problem of the increase of XML traffic with the higher speed network. Five or six years ago, the Internet was thought to be too slow and online commerce was unworkable, she said, but it turned out that technological improvements had overcome those obstacles.   Research company Zapthink also echoes concerns about two-dollar XML, especially the potential for proprietary applications. Zapthink analysts also point out that XML messages can touch different software and hardware components, such as security systems, which must support two-dollar XML standards. Ron Schmelzer of   Zapthink fears that two-dollar XML will be limited to niche uses, such as high-volume applications that require optimal performance.   Leader Technologies's lamb supports two-dollar XML, but there is a proviso-it has to be standardized.