Re: [xml-dev] S-expressions vs. XML

On Mon, 06 Jan 2003 11:59:52 -0800, Joe English <> 
wrote:

>
> Mike Champion wrote:
>
>> Actually, since S-expressions are isomorphic to the basic XML data 
>> model,
>> one could argue that X# == LISP :-)
>
> I've heard this claim asserted many, many times,
> but I still don't believe it.

FWIW, I was just repeating the oft-repeated assertion,and *was* kiddingl.   
"Isomorphic" probably too strong a term, and I think the comparison could 
only be stretched as far as something like "Common XML Core". As best I 
remember LISP from long ago, elements would correspond to lists (which can 
contain lists) and attributes on elements would correspond to property 
lists.  LISP has a type system built in, whereas XML's is external. Beyond 
that, I wouldn't presume to go ...

In my own defense, I was thinking of this after reading 
http://www.research.avayalabs.com/user/wadler/papers/ettu/ettu.pdf 
recently; see the "Shakespeare in LISP" and "Shakespeare in XML" slides.