Re: [Json] What is a JSON-text? [REVISITED]

[Jacob Davies <[e-mail]>]

On Thu, Oct 3, 2013 at 11:24 AM, Nico Williams <[e-mail]> wrote:
> "But JSON is an interchange format for networking" is not a good
> answer to that.  It's a good interchange format, full stop.  The train
> with JSON used for local interchange purposes left the station.  This
> is why parsers commonly have an option to accept scalar values at the
> top-level.

As I said in the last discussion: the asymmetry of a JSON document
having to be an object or an array while a JSON value can be an object
or an array or a string or a number or a boolean or null is
unintuitive and has no principled rationale. The arguments against
allowing values at top level are taste-based, not based on principle
or practice.

In the systems I work on we treat "JSON serializability" as meaning
"transformable into a JSON value". Not a JSON text. The natural
serialization for many types is a string or a number or a boolean. So,
why do I suddenly have to act differently when I am sending something
on the wire? What is the principled distinction between a JSON value
in memory and a JSON text sent over the network? Why am I supposed to
put this in an envelope just because network transport is involved?

Allowing values at the top level is not a breaking change since the
JSON spec says that implementations may reject texts they don't like.
In practice, it is widely interoperable already.