Other XML Idiocy

[elephant]

Thanks lgrant. I like the quote of a commenter from this discussion.

What is the difference between XML data and XML metadata?

I'm rebuilding some XML feeds, so I am researching when to use elements and when to use attributes with XML. Several sites have said "Data goes in elements, metadata in attributes." So, what is the

stackoverflow.com

The distinction between data and metadata is almost entirely subjective. One man's data is another's metadata. The "metadata in attributes" rule grew out of the markup world, where a rule of thumb was, if you remove all of the markup, and just leave the text, it should be a reasonable document. This meant attributes should be discardable, and elements essential. If you display XML in an uncomprehending browser, it will be treated this way.

But your XML (and most XML these days) likely won't be displayed to the user in an uncomprehending browser, so you can use better rules for how to design your XML