Why xml??

[real_yoni]

I’m working on a tool for the PRS-505, and I wondered as to why Sony chooses to handle the internal data with an XML file (media.xml)? This will never ever be as fast as an embedded database (Sqlite for example or any other other commercial solution).

No wonder the device seems to get slower with each book you add. The all point behind databases is that with the proper index the time it takes to query will not grow in liner fashion as the case with XML. Not to mention other benefits of database such as storing data in binary representation and the textual one etc…

Y.

[pepak]

Originally Posted by real_yoni

I’m working on a tool for the PRS-505, and I wondered as to why Sony chooses to handle the internal data with an XML file (media.xml)? This will never ever be as fast as an embedded database (Sqlite for example or any other other commercial solution).

XML is an industry standard. Also, it can be edited on any platform with just a text editor, you don't need any tool. With a database format, you would limit the supported platforms and possibly run into trouble with newer versions of said database. Speed isn't much of a concern in a reader, is it? And if it is, the reader could convert the XML into a faster format on power-on.

The all point behind databases is that with the proper index the time it takes to query will not grow in liner fashion as the case with XML.

A database is way too robust for reader's needs. As for speed, XML does not necessarily require a linear time, either - it can be indexed just as well as a real database.