Admittedly, binary protocols do
have advantages, it is simply a
matter of which way you want to
go. That is a stance we will
have to make before designing a
new protocol, and personally, I
am in favor of a text-based
protocol.

I agree with this. Also, note that parsing imo is a tiny, tiny fraction of
cpu-time spent by the hub. What takes time in a hub is, unsurprisingly, the
broadcasting.
Quoting, semi-binary, fully binary or fully text are details that wont
really affect the performance or semantics of the protocol. Sadly, everyone
has preferences when it comes to these details, and reaching an agreement is
hard if not impossible. I say, let Arne decide the format of the protocol
(Why? I think he has shown us that he is good at ignoring what others think
about things/deciding things for others), but let us all discuss what the
protocol should actually _do_.

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John Bäckstrand