RE: [xml-dev] Should XML Professionals Be Programmers?

["Len Bullard" <Len.Bullard@ses-i.com>]

Yes.   Programming productivity was a lot less before I could find examples.  On the other hand, finding a quality example can be problematic.  A case in point:  how many ways are there to write a search and replace in VB?  ;)  A little more seriously, how many times has one copied code only to discover the framework classes it requires a) didn't work well or b) are no longer supported in VSpickaversion.  Sometimes Google gives an answer but as the old professor told them in a lawyer show from years ago, "the first answer is seldom the complete answer".

A little off topic... I was wondering if what I am hearing is normal because some of this stuff defies everything I thought I knew about XML production work.  In general, I would expect four of those skills from someone hired to do XML work.  I know it 'depends' but I would expect it and if told "we don't pay our XML people to program", I'd worry because of the productivity possible from someone who can.

len

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Brickley [mailto:danbri@danbri.org] 
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 1:55 PM
To: Len Bullard
Cc: xml-dev@lists.xml.org
Subject: Re: [xml-dev] Should XML Professionals Be Programmers?

On 8 March 2012 17:27, Len Bullard <Len.Bullard@ses-i.com> wrote:
> It's a general qualifications question:  do you expect an XML professional to:
>
> Be able to correctly interpret DTD/Schema?
> Write or modify a DTD/Schema
> Code and/or test and modify XSLT.
> Program at least to a level of proficiency to build simple productivity
> tools (for example, basic querying of XML in some form)

If they're permitted free access to the Web for looking things up,
then sure. Standards work is all about knowing when and where to look
stuff up (and when to ask a friend instead).

cheers,

Dan