Re: [xml-dev] RE: Declarative programming requires a different mindset

[Gavin Thomas Nicol <gtn@rbii.com>]

On Mar 30, 2010, at 7:30 AM, Costello, Roger L. wrote:
> Thanks for the pointer to the paper Gavin. It says that functional programming is about improved modularity and providing better ways to glue modules together:
...
> I see the benefits of this. However, is that really what declarative programming is about?
> 
>> Another way to look at it is that declarative programming 
>> tends to look at programs as data, not as instructions... people 
>> with a declarative mindset tend to generate and manipulate programs, 
>> just as they would any other data. 
> 
> Now that seems (to me) to more accurately characterize declarative programming.

IMHO. The modularity from functional programming is largely engendered because of the evaluation model... which to me, is at least partly derived from the idea of treating programs as data.