[HECnet] CSV Proposal

[Brian Hechinger]

On Sun, May 19, 2013 at 05:02:18PM +0100, Robert Jarratt wrote:

Well, if the separator is | then it isn't a CSV file :-)

While I do understand the origins of the term CSV, the C really doesn
stand for character. Tabs are used quite commonly as well as commas. Any
character is valid, so long as it's accepted by all consumers of said
file.

The C standing for comma is antiquated and outdated and should be
changed. In my not so humble opinion, anyway. :)

I have no issue with this except that allowing the columns to appear in any
order, while nice and flexible, makes it harder to write the software. It
does not seem worth the effort to have that flexibility given the low
enthusiasm for writing this software, so a simplification would be to fix
the column order.

It really isn't that hard to write. I've implemented such a thing in many
languages (including very stupid ones) and it is *always* worth the effort.

Actually I am thinking that I wouldn't mind writing the program myself, but
don't wait for me, I have a host of other things I want to do as well.

I'm always open to writing anything. :)

-brian