[Freeswitch-users] [Freeswitch-dev] YAML support as analternative of XML for configuration

Sun Jun 29 22:46:55 EDT 2008

> You said: "If XML is the single reason you won't be using FreeSWITCH
> then by all means stick with Asterisk, because we aren't going to beg
> you to use FreeSWITCH."
> 
> This is sad, you claim that FreeSWITCH is more advanced in terms of
> features and innovation than Asterisk, but all I see with your
> attitude is that it's more limited and closed-minded.
> 

Please don't be so quick to judge Brian by this response.  Or better
yet, please don't be so quick to judge FreeSWITCH by Brian's response.
The simple fact of the matter is that FS *is* more advanced than
Asterisk, regardless of whether or not the devs are willing or able to
swap out XML for YAML.

> I'm afraid that I will have to stick with Asterisk, at least they
> aren't arrogant and closed-minded when you ask for a feature, all I

I wonder what the asterisk devs would say if you asked them to switch
the conf files out for YAML files?  Let's just say that their response
would be something similar to: "Uh... no." 

> want is a more effective way (for me) to configure FreeSWITCH, this is

Actually, technically, there's nothing preventing someone from writing a
script/module/program that would convert YAML to XML, and even doing it
on the fly.  Can you honestly say that can be done with Asterisk?  Even
if it could be done it would be much more difficult than doing it with
FS.  FS has hooks built into it that allow for this kind of flexibility.
Tony knew from the get go that not everyone would be willing/able to
hand edit all the XML files.  So an important decision was made early:
make the XML be both human- and machine-readable.  

> not going to hurt you or steal your freedom, or change the way you do
> things... it's only going to allow me to do things in the way I'm used
> to and I like.
> 
> This is exactly why I love Free Software & Open Source, because it
> gives me the freedom to do things exactly the way I want, but I see I
> wont change your mind... so, good luck with FS.

I don't know if changing Brian's mind is actually relevant anyway.  The
best thing to do would be to write a parser that converts XML to YAML
and YAML to XML and demonstrate the coolness/value/etc. of a YAML-based
configuration.  If YAML is indeed as great as you feel it is then I'm
certain that there will be others who would agree and would be willing
to support the effort to make a YAML-based config module/parser/thingy.

So let me rephrase Brian's last words:
If the XML-based nature of FreeSWITCH is the *only* thing that is
preventing you from using it then please consider the possibility that
you might be missing out on something very cool and very powerful.  You
aren't forced to use XML, but it is the easiest of the alternatives, at
least at the start.  Once you get hooked on FS you'll realize that it's
a better choice for a switching platform.

The choice certainly is yours, and no one here will begrudge you your
right to choose.  My parting advice: choose wisely.

-MC

> 
> Diego
> 
> On Thu, Jun 26, 2008 at 11:15 PM, Brian West <brian at freeswitch.org>
wrote:
> > Diego,
> >        I can already tell you Its not going to happen.  The choice
was
> made
> > early on and it was the correct one.  It's not something that can be
> > changed or modular.  If XML is the single reason you won't be using
> > FreeSWITCH then by all means stick with Asterisk, because we aren't
> > going to beg you to use FreeSWITCH.
> >
> > Read this for more info http://www.freeswitch.org/node/123
> >
> > /b
> >
> > On Jun 26, 2008, at 9:14 PM, Diego Viola wrote:
> >
> >> Hi everyone -
> >>
> >> I really love this project... I love the design you guys took with
FS,
> >> I love the stability, the features, the openness of it, it's the
VoIP
> >> platform I always dreamed of it... FreeSWITCH is what Asterisk
should
> >> have been.
> >>
> >> But I just don't like one thing: XML.
> >>
> >> I also don't intend to create a flame war or troll with this
thread,
> >> please take this as a suggestion of someone that really wants to
use
> >> FS... XML is the only reason why I still stay with Asterisk, I just
> >> can't like XML, and I don't like Asterisk as well, I want
FreeSWITCH
> >> stability, features, etc, but I can't like XML, not even if I try
to,
> >> it's too slow to use/write, verbose and complex.
> >>
> >> As a sysadmin point of view, I prefer parameter=value but I realize
> >> the advantages of XML (data serialization, etc), this is also why I
> >> don't use mod_dialplan_asterisk, because I think it's time for
> >> something better than INI files, but XML isn't for me, I'm a
> >> Linux/UNIX guy and I don't want a GUI either, I love CLI, but I
want
> >> something simple to use, read and write, and I think YAML is the
best
> >> of the both worlds.
> >>
> >> I would like to have more than one option to configure FreeSWITCH,
> >> also, not everyone likes to do the same thing the same way and it
> >> would be really cool if FS gives this freedom to people...
> >>
> >> I would really like to see YAML as a configuration option in
> >> FreeSWITCH, give me this any day and I swear I don't toch Asterisk
> >> _ever again_, YAML can be used for data serialization and it's more
> >> simple than XML, Ruby projects like Rails uses it.
> >>
> >> Take a look here:
> >>
> >> http://yaml.org/spec/1.2/
> >> http://yaml.org/
> >>
> >> "YAML(tm) (rhymes with "camel") is a human-friendly, cross
language,
> >> Unicode based data serialization language designed around the
common
> >> native data types of agile programming languages. It is broadly
useful
> >> for programming needs ranging from configuration files to Internet
> >> messaging to object persistence to data auditing. Together with the
> >> Unicode standard for characters, this specification provides all
the
> >> information necessary to understand YAML Version 1.2 and to create
> >> programs that process YAML information. "
> >>
> >> Please consider it, I'm also willing to pay for a mod_yaml, other
than
> >> this I really love FreeSWITCH and I think it's great, I will switch
in
> >> a heartbeat if you guys add support for it ;-)
> >>
> >> Best regards,
> >>
> >> Diego
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >
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