>“XML combines the efficiency of text files with the readability of binary files”
One dirty thing about XML is that it appears human readable, but it is not human writable. You'll see something in the XML that you think you can change, but now it doesn't validate anymore after you change it using a text editor. You need an XML editor that understands XML validation to make edits. If I cannot use a basic text editor, it's not basic text. If it's not basic text, it's no better than any other binary protocol, albeit a very inefficient one.
>“XML combines the efficiency of text files with the readability of binary files”
One dirty thing about XML is that it appears human readable, but it is not human writable. You'll see something in the XML that you think you can change, but now it doesn't validate anymore after you change it using a text editor. You need an XML editor that understands XML validation to make edits. If I cannot use a basic text editor, it's not basic text. If it's not basic text, it's no better than any other binary protocol, albeit a very inefficient one.