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Is XML secure; lost XML data if not encrypted is a problem, but raw data can only be interpreted if the data format is known.Any change to XML will increase the quantity of data by over 300%.XML has a place but is it really required for data returns, if XML is required why not convert the current format to XML when it is received.Accurate data in my experience is only achieved with simple systems that providers can understand and use, corporate software suppliers may benefit from this proposed change as providers and small software suppliers will not have the resources to be able to compete.

The software costs to providers will only increase again, is this an appropriate or efficient use of public funds and yes I am a small independent software supplier so please tell me what are the benefits.

If its not broken why change it?

I am also a "small software supplier" technically part of a consortium.

OK so it's not safe but you're not going to have people leaving their ISR on a laptop are you? Technically, all the transmission should be over secure links.

Main and most obvious benefit seems to be that it should be self-validating i.e. if it's fits the schema, then it ought to work. Specifying an XML schema should ideally be much the same as restricting the domains used for data items.

Secondly, I'm pig sick of csv and fixed length fields. It's tedious to check and see what has gone wrong.

I agree John. Validating with schemas couldn't be simpler when compared to csv files.

If anybody is looking to try XML then I can recommend using Liquid XML Studio to validate LRS batch - it's free!!!!!!!

XML is fairly easy to encrypt as it can be sent uses standard HTTP and HTTPS transfer protocols. This allows for any accepted HTTPS encryption to be applied to the data in transit. From experience I would say that this kind of encryption is relatively easy to develop and implement.

Aa a VB.net developer in a previous role XML development tools came packaged with Visual Studio, they are also available as free add-ons to Eclipse for Java Development, and should not cause extra problems for small developers

Unless encrypted obviously its just as secure as a standard csv file, but I guess the most important point about XML is its open-format that will make it more efficient to create systems that will make use of web services. Unless I am mistaken, I believe some educational software houses are already working on web-services for most of their learner management systems and needless to say XML is a more 'transportable' protocol than csv files would be.

I am willing to bet that in the not too distant future, most of the downloads/uploads we make will be in XML format....best join the bandwagon then I say!!!

My experience with large XML based systems, is that the power rerquired at the Web server end is underspeced and the controlling body then reverts to 'offline' working, which makes a bit of a mockery of the ideal that when the last byte of the xml stream is sent, you immediatly know it is valid and that it matches the schema.

EMAsys couldn't cope with the data sent 'live',so they introduced version 2 which has offline working built in.