Re: [xsl] XSLT 2.0 has arrived

["Andrew Welch" <andrew.j.welch@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 1/23/07, Elliotte Harold <elharo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Just maybe this will finally be addressed in Java 7 in 2008. I'm not
> holding my breath.

Doesn't the possibility that "this will finally be addressed in Java
7" and not in Saxon 9 show that it's a Java issue and not a Saxon
issue?  You're effectively complaining about any Java program...

I do agree though that it is hard the first time you run Saxon/any
java program, especially the fact that "java -jar" ignores the
classpath, so you have to use "java -cp" instead.... and the different
entry points - net.sf.saxon.Transform, com.saxonica.Transform etc.
The fact that the actual jars need to be on the classpath, but the
only directory containing the license file needs to be on it and not
the licence file itself.  This all makes sense if you are java
programmer but no sense at all if you aren't.

In the end though it is free, and its not like you have to compromise
on anything because its free - its still one of the the fastest and
most conformant, and has really useful inbuilt extension functions.
If you do buy the SA version, you get near instant support through the
mailing list.

So you may (at worse) have to put in a couple hours reading, or fire
off an email to the support list, to understand how to run it or debug
a conflict, but you're getting a top product for free.....

Also, a lot of developers will be using IDEs - they will just select
it from a list.  Anyone not using an IDE should be relatively
comfortable messing around on the command line...