Working with Data Differently

From Application-Dependent to Self-Describing

Weapons of olden days File-formats used to be a popular weapon for keeping customers and stealing customers from competitors. Formats were proprietary for the most part, and import filters always seemed to get more emphasis than export filters. Text-only usually worked, but at a real cost in information quality.
A friendlier approach Part of XML's promise is a friendlier (to customers, anyway) business strategy, where customers have control over their information without dependence on tools from a particular vendor. Vendor-created tools are still an important part of the environment, but we now have a lot more options for transforming data.
Getting used to life without lock-in Companies have standardized on particular tool sets for a number of reasons, including training costs, bulk discounts, and the ever-present hassle of file format collisions. XML offers to knock the cost of format conflicts down, giving organizations more options for working with information beyond the options in particular tools.
Implications XML frees developers from application-dependent data management. Its easily readable and generally open approach to information is well-positioned to change the way people use software, and may encourage developers to process information in more XML-like ways.