Re: [xsl] XSLT/XPath 2.0 (was "Identifying two tags...")

[Wendell Piez <wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Evan,

At 01:59 PM 5/6/2002, you wrote:
> Some people are concerned about the sheer number of functions and operators
> in XPath 2.0 (almost five times as many as in 1.0). A related issue is XPath
> 2.0's heavy dependence on XML Schemas. I personally share some of these
> concerns. The real test of the specification's success is the number and
> quality of implementations. Saxon 7 is a good pioneer. It would be great
> (even crucial) to see more efforts sprout up before we approach
> Recommendation status.

Could you comment more specifically please on the heavy dependence on 
Schemas you mention?

In particular, I'm concerned whether this dependence will mean it's not 
possible to use XPath 2, with its sequences, conditionals etc., in an 
environment where there is no schema (or no W3C Schema).

I've used W3C Schema a bit, and my experience with it suggests that most of 
it is vast overkill for most of what I want to do, which is on the 
document-centric not data-centric side. It's as if I were a baker, and W3C 
Schema were a chemistry lab: it's true that what I do involves some 
chemistry, but I can achieve what I want with some leavening and a 350 
degree oven. Although Schema's mortar and pestle are nice, the centrifuge 
and autoclave are rather more than I need, and I don't have any idea why 
I'd want that hydrochloric acid. Please don't tell me I'd be a better baker 
if I learned to use the centrifuge, or about the great virtues of 
hydrochloric acid: that's just telling me you don't know from baking! :-)

I'm looking forward to the grouping, the round-tripping to node-sets etc. 
in XSLT 2.0; but count me among those who are nervous about XPath 2.0 
largely because of the dependency questions. I'd be really happy to learn 
that XPath 2.0 will still do just fine even if I have no PSVI around.

I *suppose* I could go look at the draft ... but it would be nice to have a 
well-informed, sympathetic interlocutor put it in a nutshell.

Cheers,
Wendell




======================================================================
Wendell Piez                            mailto:wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mulberry Technologies, Inc.                http://www.mulberrytech.com
17 West Jefferson Street                    Direct Phone: 301/315-9635
Suite 207                                          Phone: 301/315-9631
Rockville, MD  20850                                 Fax: 301/315-8285
----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Mulberry Technologies: A Consultancy Specializing in SGML and XML
======================================================================


XSL-List info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list