I don't disagree with the principle, but the devil is in the details.

• XML::Simple defaults to unsafe behaviour.

• The whole idea of doing a little work up front to save work later on just doesn't pan out in my experience with XML::Simple. I've already exposed this myth.

• Simplifying the tree sounds good, but it all it really does is make XML::Simple useable. Alternatives have query mechanisms that allow one to jump around the tree as easily.

And then there are the limitations of XML::Simple.

• XML::Simple handles namespace VERY poorly

  • It fails if different documents use different prefixes. (Prefixes are arbitrary.)
  • It fails if different documents use different means of specifying the namespace of a given node. (Prefix vs explicit xmlns vs inherited xmlns)

  This defect can be fixed.

• It can only handle some XML formats.

  • It can't parse formats where one needs to know the order of differently named nodes.
  • It can't generate XML for formats where the order of differently named nodes is relevant or specified.
  • It can't handle formats that intermix text and element nodes (e.g. XHTML).

  This limitation is intrinsic to the design and cannot be fixed.

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