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.