Storing Date Values in Files

XML and JSON files store and transport data.  What is the best way to store a Date-Time value? Always, always, always use the integer epoch format: the number of milliseconds since Jan 1, 1970 UTC. This post tells you why.

XML Schema Validation, or not?

The question is: should a program that reads a standard XML file format use XML Schema Validation when reading the file to make sure that the file being read is properly formatted?  The answer depends upon a lot of things.  It is certainly NOT a foregone conclusion that you should always validate XML when reading.  There are times when validating will constrain the functionality to an unacceptable degree over the long run.

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#24 Sprinkling “trim” through the code

One bad practice I have seen on many occasions is the use of trim() statements throughout the code.  This is a poor coding practice, and it is an indicator of disorganized code.