So a handful of well-known pitfalls and complaints about how it’s easy to represent the same information differently. Yeah, switching to XML definitely solves that problem.

The fact that you know them doesn't make them any better, it just proves you've got Stockholm Syndrome

I get your point but there is exactly no technology you can use without some known pitfalls, so you pick the one whose pitfalls are the least catastrophic or bothersome to you.