(2004-04-20) Universal Binary Format

As an alternative to XML for data SOA transport, Joe Armstrong designed UBF/Universal Binary Format.

Here's a wider scope. Simply speaking, UBF is a contract language that allows one to make statements like: "if you sent me a term of this type I'll promise to sent you a term of this type back."

Semi-related, here's a list of markup/data serialization languages, influenced (or not) by XML / SGML. Includes YAML and UBF.