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0 pointsusrbinbash1y ago0 comments

It doesn't matter when it came out, it doesn't matter that it it descriptive. It is the standard, period.

Yes, CSV is much, much older. In fact it predates personal computers. And it went through changes. Again: None of that matters. We have a standard, we should use the standard, and systems should demand the standard.

Standards are meant to ensure minimal-friction interoperability. If systems don't enforce standards, then there is no point in having a standard in the first place.

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jhbadger1y ago

Yes, but you could argue that web browsers shouldn't accept broken HTML either. But they do, and that's why there are so much broken HTML out there in the wild. Same with broken CSV -- basically people's measure is "if Excel can read it correctly, it's fine" even if not every CSV library in every programming language can.

tttp1y ago

"This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does not specify an Internet standard of any kind."

teddyh1y ago

Note the qualifier: “not an Internet standard” (my emphasis).

usrbinbashOP1y ago

And again: None of that matters. I am not talking about formalities here, I am talking about technical realities.

Whether it is formally called a standard or no doesn't change the fact that this is the document everyone points at when determining what CSV is and is supposed to look like. So it is de-facto a standard. Call it a "quasi standard" if that makes you happy.

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