[4suite] meta xslt

[MJ Ray]

Paul Tchistopolskii <pault12 at pacbell.net> writes:

> Right. There are people who like shooting themselvs in the foot, 
> and there are people who write bugfree code. The latter group is 
> called 'software developers', I think.

Software developers writing bug-free code... interesting concept.  I'll
be happy when I eventually see it.  ;-) 

(Despite running for an Internet Applications company, I'm not
actually a software developer.  I'm more concerned with interface and
training, although I do program a lot.)

> > Anyway, there's no reason to use non-standard methods such as those
> > you suggest for a simple task like this.
> Could we have a particular example of 'simple task like this' ?

The case in question is a good example: using XSLT to reformat some
XML that just happens to be XSLT itself.  Remodelling XML is what XSLT
is designed for, after all.  There are probably other ways to do it
(as always), but it seems wasteful to ignore the purpose-built tool
for it.

> I really like it. When you have no defense for something -
> just call it 'standard'.  

Uh, it's a lot more standard to use XSLT than using Saxon extensions.
I don't recall seeing those in the XSLT standard when I last looked.

It's not a case of defending something, more saying that I thought the
original request was reasonable and I don't understand your point.
Why must you couch it in the terminology of war?  This is a
discussion, not a battle.  We can all win.

> I should explicitly say that  I've participated in writing
> mit-logo interpreter more than 10 years ago and I've seen 
                                                       ^^^^ !!
> some big lisp programs in production.
> 
> Also I know about programs generating other programs. This 

So why your repulsion over using programs to *rewrite* other programs?
It seems a natural thing to do to me, but I'm from a
mathematically-inclined background and my earliest formal instruction
was in functional programming, so I probably think that way.

> Let us stay on topic, please and discuss the real stuff, if possible.

I'm trying to.

> You're saying that your way is "standard" and my way is "non-standard" ?

The original request was staying within the XSLT standard and your
suggestions went outside it.  Surely that is obvious?  It's not *my*
way -- why are you making this so personal?  Does people not
understanding your reasoning upset you?  Sheesh, sorry...
-- 
MJ Ray                                       Email:  markj at luminas.co.uk
Director                                       Tel:  +44 (0)20 8553 6622
Luminas Internet Applications                  Fax:  +44 (0)870 28 47489
This is not an official statement or order.    Web:    www.luminas.co.uk