The timing doesn't quite work out for this explanation, unfortunately. YAML is about the same age as JSON and started finding a niche as a configuration language in parallel with JSON finding use as a serialization format. Ruby on Rails 1.0 was using YAML for configuration in 2005, and it didn't even have JSON support out of the box at that point.
Serves me right for not checking! I certainly became aware of YAML long after I started using JSON. But I do think people are choosing it over JSON for it's alleged improved read/write friendliness.
Indeed, back then it as "Yet another Markup Language" (https://yaml.org/spec/history/2001-12-10.html). I remember using it to write blog posts with static generators, like webgen around 2004.
Interesting, I'm surprised the opposite way as the others replying -- I thought YAML was much older than JSON. We all encounter things at different times I guess.
This is lovely, I didn't know. I guess this is what Kuhn was talking about, we write history in retrospective, sorting it out preferring narrative over fact.
