Re: [xsl] Reference to functions (Was: RE: XPath 2.0: Collection-Valued Expressions (Was: Re: XQuery 1.0 and XPath 2.0 Functions and Operators Version 1.0))

[Jim Melton <jim dot melton at acm dot org>]

Gentlepeople...

At 09:57 PM 9/7/2001 -0700 Friday, Dimitre Novatchev wrote:
> > As you'll see from the published data model, there is no current intention
> > to support functions or expressions as a data type in the language.
>
>So, one significant and useful feature has been ignored...

While I understand why you might be disappointed, you must understand that 
there are tradeoffs and the need for balance everywhere.  "Ignored" is most 
certainly not the right word, since hours of discussion have been undergone.

> > So there's likely to be syntax akin to XQuery's
>
> > sum(for $i in //item return $i/@price * $i/@qty)
>
>I find this a definite step backawrds from the concise and compact syntax 
>of XPath
>1.0.

We are *not* talking about the syntax of XPath 2.0 here.  We're talking 
about the specification of "Functions and Operators for XQuery 1.0 and 
XPath 2.0"; that is, there are (at least) languages being addressed, not 
just one.  While I want your needs to be met, yours are not the only needs 
under consideration.  There are people/companies with demonstrated, 
articulated needs for a query language more powerful than XPath and we are 
trying to address those requirements, too.  Trust me, I will not personally 
force you to use that new query language ;^)  You are more than welcome to 
continue using XPath.

With tongue firmly in cheek,
    Jim
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Jim Melton --- Editor of ISO/IEC 9075-* (SQL)     Phone: +1.801.942.0144
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