RE: XPath conformance? was RE: [xml-dev] storing XML files

[Chris Parkerson <chrisp@exceloncorp.com>]

Amazing... one small piece of "borderline flamage" from me (I take the
blame/credit/responsibility ;->) sparks a lively and useful discussion
(15+ messages in this thread now ;->)...

So, proof that there are times when minor "flamage" is not so bad... if
the ends justify it ;->

You can flame me now... I'm already charred beyond recognition, so it
won't hurt so bad ;->

Cheers,
Chris

---------------------------------------
Chris Parkerson
Product Manager
eXcelon Corporation
Burlington, MA
(781) 674-5393
http://www.exceloncorp.com
---------------------------------------


-----Original Message-----
From: Champion, Mike [mailto:Mike.Champion@SoftwareAG-USA.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2001 10:27 PM
To: xml-dev@lists.xml.org
Subject: RE: XPath conformance? was RE: [xml-dev] storing XML files



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Evan Lenz [mailto:elenz@xyzfind.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2001 8:52 PM
> To: Tom Bradford
> Cc: Champion, Mike; xml-dev@lists.xml.org
> Subject: Re: XPath conformance? was RE: [xml-dev] storing XML files
> 

> Just don't pretend that you're any longer in conformance to 
> the standard.

XPath 1.0 Section 6 says in toto:

"Conformance
XPath is intended primarily as a component that can be used by
other specifications. Therefore, XPath relies on specifications that
use XPath (such as [XPointer] and [XSLT]) to
specify criteria for conformance of implementations of XPath and does
not define any conformance criteria for independent implementations of
XPath."
http://www.w3.org/TR/xpath#section-Conformance 

Also, extension functions are defined in XSLT, not XPath, so neither
adding
operators or functions to the XPath 1.0 spec is any more or less
correct.
If you want a "standard" query language for XML DBMS, wait until XQuery
comes out, (or get the XML world to agree that XSLT is "the" XML query
language, I don't care) then we can argue about each other's
conformance. 

Admittedly, I shouldn't have used the word "conformance" in spinning off
this thread. My point was that in a fluid technology/standards situation
such as we find ourselves in now, "conformance" is less important than
learning what really works. It's time  now to figure out what query
language
syntax/semantics hits the right balance of theoretical rigor,
implementation
efficiency, end-user understandability, and so forth. The argument "I am
more XPath 1.0 conformant than thou" doesn't contribute much to this
process.

If y'all wanna have a religious war, there are plenty of real ones to
choose
from these days, sigh. 



-----------------------------------------------------------------
The xml-dev list is sponsored by XML.org <http://www.xml.org>, an
initiative of OASIS <http://www.oasis-open.org>

The list archives are at http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this elist use the subscription
manager: <http://lists.xml.org/ob/adm.pl>