Roan Kattouw wrote:
2009/9/25 Platonides:
Those descriptions will have to be edited by the same user base that edit all other pages. Even if they are power users, it's not easy to write correct XML on the wiki textarea. We would need to create an editor for the language being created so a template editor can be made.
Since the XML file describes the template, it need only be changed when the template is changed. Realistically, newbie editors don't edit templates; anyone skilled enough to edit templates can handle some simple XML.
But why make it harder? You could also stat that anyone skilled enough to edit templates can handle <new complex syntax>. I wouldn't feel comfortable mannually editing XML. Or worse, reviewing XML written by others that is invalid (How are you going to handle that?).
I advocate for a simpler syntax for form definition (but we shouldn't on the way reinvent wikitext).
Exactly. XML is a decent choice here because it has a well-defined, pre-existing grammar with parsers already available, which means it's easy to parse and easy to learn (assuming you've got some shred of a technical background; see my earlier point about newbies not editing templates).
Roan Kattouw (Catrope)
However, it's not easy to type. It's convenient just for developers. XML has the advantage of having many editors available, but if I need an external editor, the system is broken.