[Xpath-ng] Thoughts on work products

[Jeni Tennison]

David,

>> jeni at jenitennison.com (Jeni Tennison) writes:
>> The goals for XPath NG should be, I think:
>
> One question that I think also needs to be answered is, is the idea
> to come up with something that will enable the WG members (such as
> Jeni:-) to see the error of their ways and adopt XPath NG as XPath2,
> and specifically use it in XSLT 2, or is the assumption that Xpath2
> is a done deal and XPath NG would be an alternative, separate,
> selection language. In the latter case is there an intention to have
> an XSLT NG that hosts XPath NG?

My assumption is, sadly, that XPath 2.0 is a done deal. I don't think
that anything less than TAG intervention or a massive vote against
XPath 2.0 will make the WGs (XQuery and XSL) reconsider the approach
that's been taken with XPath 2.0.

On the other hand, I think that coming up with a feasible alternative
to XPath 2.0 makes TAG intervention and a massive vote against XPath
2.0 more likely. At the very least it could highlight the shortcomings
in XPath 2.0 in the way that RELAX NG has highlighted the shortcomings
in XML Schema.

As for XSLT NG, it rather depends on how XSLT 2.0 defines its
relationship with XPath 2.0. At the moment it looks like XSLT 2.0 will
insist on XPath 2.0. In addition, some XSLT 2.0 constructs might be
described differently with XPath NG (e.g. if XPath NG allowed
sequences-within-sequences then the grouping facility in XSLT 2.0
could be described in a different way). My guess would be that XSLT NG
could be defined as XSLT 1.0 plus extension elements/attributes that
mirror some XSLT 1.0 elements/attributes.

I don't know how others feel?

Cheers,

Jeni

---
Jeni Tennison
http://www.jenitennison.com/