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

[Alexander Johannesen <alexander.johannesen@gmail.com>]

On 2010-04-13, Henry S. Thompson <ht@inf.ed.ac.uk> wrote:
> The decisive breakthrough in the DSSSL->XSLT move
> was the realisation that by writing XSLT _in_ XML we could make the
> 'output' side of templates iconic -- that is, instead of _describing_
> the desired result tree fragment, as DSSSL has to do, we could
> _manifest_ it.

Since we're on this topic, I feel an urge to spell out my undying love
for XSLT, the most underrated declarative functional programming
language the world has ever seen! The concepts and ideas, especially
XSLT 2.0, are unmatched. I don't care for your continued use of your
favorite OO imperative framework of spaghetti when I've got those sexy
recursive templates to work with.

Dammit, I've even written a programming language dealing with Topic
Maps *in* XSLT, and another framework for extending PHP to become
declarative in semantic web analysis. XSLT friggin' rocks!

Sure, the link to XML might be a pain to those who hates XML, but to
those who find it strangely zen to work with the atomics of elements,
attributes and content, once you cross the Rubicon, you cannot go
back.

A side question; is declarative and / or functional complete
programming taught much in universities these days, or is it still all
OO / Java / .Net (and the odd Lisp class so the prof can pat himself
on the back, but without releasing Lisp's potential on to the
students, not that I'm going by my own experiences, nosirree)?


Regards,

Alex
-- 
 Project Wrangler, SOA, Information Alchemist, UX, RESTafarian, Topic Maps
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