what is better than learning about the blockchain how to convert a Bdb into a JSON Array
![Smiley](https://bitcointalk.org/Smileys/default/smiley.gif)
(cause that makes better sense than a JSON object) btw a JSON array representation of the blockchain would be a disaster, and would be super long, remember the blockchain is now ~2.8gb so a JSON array of objects of the blockchain WOW that would not run good in php. Good luck with that
I'd really be happy with any "reasonably plain-text-ish" representation - JSON (object or array) is just the obvious leading candidate. This is
of course, exactly as you say, a lot less space- and time-efficient to handle than a binary format (Berkeley DB in the Satoshi client, perhaps other binary formats in other clients). But it, uh, postpones my day of reckoning (of having to master Bdb)
![Cheesy](https://bitcointalk.org/Smileys/default/cheesy.gif)
(Just to clarify: I wouldn't be trying to respond interactively and quickly to web requests for a chart or whatever - I wouldn't be competing with the marvellous charts at
https://blockchain.info/charts. I'd just like to analyse the blockchain [in various ways that go a bit beyond those charts] offline, at leisure, for my own interest. So, for now at least, efficiency is not so important for me!)