Re: [xml-dev] An inquiry into the nature of XML and how it orientsour pe

[Peter Hunsberger <peter.hunsberger@gmail.com>]

On Sun, Nov 22, 2009 at 5:42 AM, Mukul Gandhi <gandhi.mukul@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sun, Nov 22, 2009 at 12:59 PM, COUTHURES Alain
> <alain.couthures@agencexml.com> wrote:
>
>> What is a program or what is data is just a point of view:
>
> I agree. But I wanted to express, that a programming language (like,
> XSLT for example) would generally be considered a "program" or
> something that can execute via a suitable engine. Considering program
> as data are special cases

It's the other way around.  Considering data and programs as two
separate things is an artificially contrived distinction.  It's maybe
useful for learning how to use some programming languages, but it
should be thrown away by the time you want to deal with anything in a
more general fashion.

The more semantics you have associated with a given piece of data the
more easily you can use it to instruct some other piece of data as to
what to do with it.  Programs that have restricted vocabularies put
more requirements on what they will use as input, but ultimately it's
all a matter of degree as to what data can be used as a program when
and where.  Ultimately, there is only the "machine" (virtual or real)
and it handles only one thing: call it what you will....

-- 
Peter Hunsberger