Re: [xsl] return of the XSL FAQ

["Wendell Piez wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <xsl-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I concur entirely with Dimitre on this. I think we need both the old
FAQ, and a new FAQ covering the best current practice in XSLT 2020+,
including XSLT 3.0 solutions.

The old FAQ includes many solutions that you should not want or need
today -- unless you are in a corner. As Dimitre says, for whatever
reason many people are still in that corner, which makes the old FAQ
still useful for them. But developers who are not in that corner
should not have to ponder or even consider the advice that still
applies there, but nowhere else.

Could a new FAQ start with the outline of the old FAQ, extract its
still-applicable advice, and go from there, while leaving the old FAQ
in place as a parallel resource for those who need it or wish to
peruse it for other reasons? This would also help to foreground the
continuing value of Dave P's original contribution to the effort.

Cheers, Wendell


On Mon, May 18, 2020 at 11:28 AM Dimitre Novatchev
dnovatchev@xxxxxxxxx <xsl-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > I finally sat down for an hour or two and got the files Dave had sent
> > me to build. I still need to do some editing (e.g. make sure there's no
> > references left to it being on Dave's Web site) and then will put it up
> > on gitlab so people can raise issues and/or send merge requests or pull
> > requests, or be given maintainer access.
>
> Good job.
>
> > Ongoing, i think whether to update this to reflect XSLT 3, or whether
> > to make new XSLT 3 resources (and XSLT 4?) is a separate question -
> > whaat do you think?
>
> If by updating you mean adding new content, that's OK.
>
> I believe we should keep the currently existing content intact, as it has
served many thousands of people so far and there are links from other
pages/posts to these materials. We shouldn't forget also, that even today
maybe 90% of XSLT development is still done on XSLT 1 and 2 (these are
probably 60% + 20% of total projects). Not to count a multitude of systems
that are already deployed and undergo little or no new XSLT development, but
need to be maintained.
>
> The existing content has even historical value and it shouldn't be let to
disappear. We know this has been a major contribution by Dave Pawson and Dave
deserves that his work continues to exist vs. being "creatively evolved"
beyond recognition.
>
> What is most urgently needed is the well-known existing XSLT FAQ that has
absolute, proven value and has been needed sorely recently. Any new additions
should not delay making the main content available.
>
> Also, will it not be cleaner to have a separate XSLT 3.0 FAQ? It can link to
the existing (1.0/2.0) FAQ when referencing XSLT 2 / 1 solutions for
comparison purposes, and we could add links from the existing XSLT FAQ to
items in the new XSLT 3.0 FAQ. Separating these two main FAQs helps avoid
creating mess, without hindering the content development on the new FAQ.
>
> Cheers,
> Dimitre
>
> On Sun, May 17, 2020 at 5:58 PM Liam R. E. Quin liam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<xsl-list-service@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> I finally sat down for an hour or two and got the files Dave had sent
>> me to build. I still need to do some editing (e.g. make sure there's no
>> references left to it being on Dave's Web site) and then will put it up
>> on gitlab so people can raise issues and/or send merge requests or pull
>> requests, or be given maintainer access.
>>
>> The current version is at
>> https://www.delightfulcomputing.com/xslfaq/xsl/
>>
>> But, it will move to a permanent neutral home shortly. I've been
>> offered hosting at xml.com; other suggestions welcome. I'll post here
>> when it's stable.
>>
>> The Google Search Box won't work right now, as Google hasn't indexed
>> the pages here.  In any case when it moves i'll install redirects to
>> the new home, so the above link will continue to work.
>>
>> Many thanks to Dave Pawson for creating it and maintaining it for so
>> long.
>>
>> Ongoing, i think whether to update this to reflect XSLT 3, or whether
>> to make new XSLT 3 resources (and XSLT 4?) is a separate question -
>> whaat do you think?
>>
>> Liam
>>
>> --
>> Liam Quin, https://www.delightfulcomputing.com/
>> Available for XML/Document/Information Architecture/XSLT/
>> XSL/XQuery/Web/Text Processing/A11Y training, work & consulting.
>> Barefoot Web-slave, antique illustrations:  http://www.fromoldbooks.org
>>
>
>
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