Subject: RE: [xsl] XPath is NOT a functional language From: "M. David Peterson" <m.david@xxxxxxxxxx> Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 09:08:13 -0700 |
Colin, I can appreciate your point regarding the true nature of XPath. It is a valid point. However, the true "functionality" of XPath can only be seen when it is used in conjunction with two languages that are true functional languages, XQuery and XSLT. With this point in mind I can easily see how someone could phrase XPath as functional simply because it is a crucial member of the functionality of these two languages. Without XPath there is no XQuery or XSLT and vice versa. I don't know of any other technology that is using XPath at the core of its functionality. Therefore I don't know if this argument is true for every instance of XPath implementation. Anyone know of another implementation that would not be considered a functional language? As to your point regarding taking the statement out of the draft... Why not refocus it a bit to state something more on the lines of "XPath is at the core center of XSLT and XQuery, two XML-based functional languages." I believe a statement along these lines could satisfy both the technical definition while keeping intact the idea that XPath is a crucial member of the XML-based functional languages. Best regards, <M:D/> -----Original Message----- From: Colin Paul Adams [mailto:colin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 6:51 AM To: xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: [xsl] XPath is NOT a functional language >>>>> "Michael" == Michael Kay <mhk@xxxxxxxxx> writes: Michael> most of the definitions of the term "functional language" Michael> do not require this concept, and are aligned with the way Michael> the XPath spec uses the term. Michael> See for example Michael> http://www.google.com/search?q=define:functional+language I looked. two definitions, neither of which are satisfied bu XPath. Anyway, this "definition" of a functional language within the XPath draft is not referred to anywhere else, so why not remove the definition and just say that expressions can be nested with full generality? -- Colin Paul Adams Preston Lancashire
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