content, format, ctype, or xtype ?

[Alberto Micol]

All these discussions about sexagesimal/decimal degrees,  iso times and 
what not
confuse me a lot.

What is wrong with fixing the units and formats for those things as 
already done in DAL?
In DAL ra&dec or l2&b2, etc, are expressed and transmitted onto the wire 
in decimal degrees, fullstop.

The user wants sexagesimal "dms"?
The tool will provide that, but on the wire it will be always 
transmitted as decimal degrees.

A database stores right ascension in milli seconds of arc?
The local query engine will translate to those units.

The same for times: pick up iso8601, MJD or whatever, but then stick to it.

The VOTable and the entire VO should fix the units and formats of the 
things sent onto the wire.

What's so incredibly wrong with this?
Is it not up to a standard to standardise things?
Why are we so much afraid of doing so?

But given that nobody has come up with such simple request, my last 
question is:
Am I missing something important here?

Thanks,
Alberto