[PROBLEM]
In some programming language I created an XML file and wanted to write a value containg "<>" chars.
This: <any> should be (of course): <any>
but it wasn't
[SOLUTION]
(and that's why I'm actually posting it here at all:)
Look at the SOURCECODE of the XML - and do NOT rely on the view your favorite browser is giving you. Your browser is probably so nice and will un-escape the characters for you.