Re: [xml-dev] Don't you need an XML Virtual Machine ?

[Philippe Poulard <Philippe.Poulard@sophia.inria.fr>]

Oleg A. Paraschenko wrote:
> Hi Philippe,
> 
> On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 17:01:57 +0200
> Philippe Poulard <Philippe.Poulard@sophia.inria.fr> wrote:
> 
> ...
> 
>>>I used to utilize the buzzword "XML Virtual Machine" for my works, but
>>>now I'm in doubt. What "XML Virtual Machine" could be? What properties
>>>are expected from it?
>>
>>I would answer the same for Java : any machine that could translate XML 
>>in something that can run on this machine
>>
>>I called my executable XML "Active Tags" ; Active Tags just specifies a 
>>behaviour, not how you could implement it : if you want to write an 
>>interpreter or a compiler, translate XML to Java code (or any other 
>>language), load precompiled classes, or combine several of them, you're 
>>welcome.
>>
>>RefleX is an implementation in Java of Active Tags. I find it close to 
>>the idea of what people would think of an "XML Virtual Machine" : a 
>>general-purpose environment that can perform programs made with tags.
>>The idea of "general-purpose" is more important than "tags" : a syntax _
>> la XQuery could be a candidate, but XQuery is not a "general-purpose" 
>>language ; thus a pure implementation of XQuery can't be an "XML Virtual
>> Machine", although it could be extended to.
>>
>>Of course, all that can be discussed :)
> 
> 
> I think I remembered an essentioal property which is expected from a
> virtual machine. VM is a target for at least one language. For example,
> Java is compiled to JVM; C#, Basic.NET and others *.NET are compiled to
> CLR VM (don't remember its name). You urgently need to compile something
> to ActiveTags.

In this way, RefleX is not a VM : few times ago, I was generating some 
Java code from XML, but it appears that pre-compiled classes were doing 
almost the same job.
However, I'm still thinking on a way to mix Java code within XML tags ; 
of course, such parts will be compiled. Maybe in a next release ?

> 
> 
>>>And are you sure that just using XML syntax for programming qualifies
>>>for the proud title of "XML Virtual Machine"?
>>
>>As I said previously, I think it's not enough.
>>
>>XML technologies like XML and XPath are used in Active Tags to achieve 
>>things that are not necessary related to XML.
> 
> 
> Oh, it's an emerging topic. Added RefleX to my reseearch wiki:
> 
> http://xmlhack.ru/protva/xquery/index.php/BibReferences
> 
> 
>>-- 
>>Cordialement,
>>
>>               ///
>>              (. .)
>>  --------ooO--(_)--Ooo--------
>>|      Philippe Poulard       |
>>  -----------------------------
>>  http://reflex.gforge.inria.fr/
>>        Have the RefleX !
> 
> 
> 
> 


-- 
Cordialement,

               ///
              (. .)
  --------ooO--(_)--Ooo--------
|      Philippe Poulard       |
  -----------------------------
  http://reflex.gforge.inria.fr/
        Have the RefleX !