[om] query on binary encoding of OpenMath

[Richard Fateman]

If there is always a faithful representation of XML OM as an abstract
OM object in an internal form (say, in Common Lisp), and there are 
programs to
transform in both directions, then the "binary" form for OM could be
some binary form for Common Lisp.  (Rather than some collection of
stuff including remnants of Maple.)
Dumping lists, arrays, structures in CL is pretty much solved by the
(many) (open source) Lisps around. So you could just pick one.

Of course you could say that OM would be more compact, but now this
seems unlikely.  (Lisp compilers tend to dump out data structures
in a compact "faster loading" form, not just ASCII  strings.)

Regards
RJF




Jacques Carette wrote:

>From an historical perspective, it might be worthwhile to note that Maple's
>external storage format (called 'dot m') uses this same encoding.  This may
>explain this early choice in OM as well.
>
>Jacques
>
>  
>
>

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