size of XQuery developer community

[Michael Ludwig]

Daniela Florescu schrieb:
>> a widespread lack of a _deep_ understanding of XML.
>
> Hans-Juergen,
>
> Yes, you are right.  There is a deep misunderstanding in IT of our
> core message about the role of XML in the new architectures.

What is that core message? (If it is not what I'm going to write below.)

> XML is not syntax, it can/should be the primary way of modeling data.

To XSLT and XQuery, XML is the XPath Data Model, which - I think - could
exist quite merrily without a serialization format.

To the Programming World, XML is the angle-bracket serialization format.
I've heard XML experts say that the Programming World does not like
angle brackets. (I don't know if this is true, but I've seen a lot of
editors that hide the angle brackets.) I think that some people do not
like the verboseness of the XML serialization format.

XML, which isn't SGML, cannot change its serialization format without
major disruptions.

The XPath Data Model seems to have an alternative serialization format
in XQuery: element bla { attribute blub { ... } }.

But instead of mucking about with the serialization format, wouldn't it
be more clever to market XQuery and XSLT as Tree Processing Languages?

(Being very careful, bien entendu, not to come dangerously close
to deforestation operations in order not to scare away the
environmentalists.)

Trees enjoy a pretty good reputation. Much better than angle brackets!

> XQuery is not a query language (oh well), but a full blown
> (declarative) data processing language.

Well, but it typically lives where there is XML data, and it is
typically used to query that data. It looks very well integrated
to me. Isn't this a big plus?

-- 
Michael Ludwig