Using XML in GDB?

[Jim Blandy]

I think if you're going to have structured data, something like XML or
ASN.1 is the way to go.  (I'd actually prefer to say "lisp
s-expressions", but then nobody would speak to me any more. :) ) 
There's no reason to re-invent all that.

I believe XML has better support in Python and Perl and Ruby and Java
and that lot than ASN.1.

Bob Rossi mentioned issues with null characters in XML: it really is a
text format; you're not supposed to put binary blobs in there at all,
except as CDATA (which makes the data much bigger).  If you're trying
to put binary data in XML, you're on the wrong train.