[Json] I-JSON vs. JSON-S

[Carsten Bormann <[e-mail]>]

We'll have to bite the bullet at some point and acknowledge there
there are two levels of interoperability in the JSON ecosystem: I-JSON
and JSON-S.

I-JSON is the syntax adapted from JavaScript plus the data model.
Maps are maps, and strings are (Unicode character) strings.  I-JSON is
highly interoperable between different JSON implementations.  (I-JSON
stands for "interoperable JSON" or Tim Bray's "Internet JSON".)

JSON-S is just the syntax.  The data model being used may be related
to that of JSON, but ultimately is application specific.  So, Solr can
have their repeated keys, the "array of general 16-bit values"
faction can have their unpaired surrogates, etc.

When people talk about "not breaking things", it is just not clear
whether they mean "carry along all usages of JSON-S" or "make sure all
I-JSON implementations stil interoperate flawlessly".  That's why the
current charter may have less of a defined meaning than it appears.
Unless the two levels of interoperability are clearly identified, it
is not possible to break neither.

Grüße, Carsten