Re: SGML output from XSL?

Chris Lilley wrote:
> 
> > The XSL specification explicitly describes how to create non-XML HTML. The
> > note in section 2.2 is very explicit.
> 
> The note is documenting an obscure quirk of one particular
> implementation. Creating non-XML is outside the chartered scope of XSL.

Creating non-FO XML is also outside the chartered scope of XSL. Clearly
the committee is interested in making XSL useful beyond style application.

Let me see if I can wrap this up.

I said that XSL as currently defined can generate non-XML output. In fact,
there is a note in the XSL specification that says how to do that. That
note explicitly mentions HTML 4.0 as an example of non-XML output so it
isn't talking about Voyager and that isn't an accident. You seem to be
going back and forth between arguing that it *does not* allow non-XML
output and that it *should not*. I claim as a matter of fact that today,
it does and as a matter of opinion that it should.

I don't need a point by point argument to back up the first argument
because the XSL specification is quite explicit. As far as the second
point: people are using these feature and like it. If it isn't implemented
in a semi-portable, standardized way then it will be implemented through
processing instructions, command line arguments etc. The way it is
currently implemented does not seem to hurt anything.

 Paul Prescod  - ISOGEN Consulting Engineer speaking for only himself
 http://itrc.uwaterloo.ca/~papresco

"Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did,
but she did it backwards and in high heels."
                                               --Faith Whittlesey


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