Re: How to get UTC displayed on XSLT

On 8/25/05, Michael Kay <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > One of XSLT 1.0's greatest strengths, which it shares with
> > only *some* of
> > the rest of the XML family of specs (including all its cousins and
> > hangers-on), is that for all its real quirkiness in some
> > respects, it's
> > relatively easy to learn
>
> I think that in many ways XSLT 2.0 is easier to learn than 1.0. There are
so
> many simple problems that involve convoluted workarounds to solve in 1.0,
> where the 2.0 solution is straightforward. Many people coming new to 2.0,
> for example, will have little need to learn how to write recursive code -
> something that for many people is a big learning barrier.
>
> Michael Kay
> http://www.saxonica.com/
>

I was going to say the same, but Mike already said it.

What remains to be added is one very important advantage of XSLT 2.0.

Static typing makes XSLT 2.0 a considerably more safe (reliable)
programming language. Many errors that otherwise would go unnoticed
and could produce havoc at unspecified future time are reported by an
XSLT 2.0 processor at compilation time.

This significantly decreases the total time for development and
minimizes headaches and surprises.


Therefore, if a developer or an organisation have a choice, it is very
probably they would choose XSLT 2.0 over XSLT 1.0 due to the increased
safety and reliability of the final deliverables.

A developer, of course, would have many other additional reasons (such
as overall elegance, more consistency, brevity of expression, ...,
etc) to prefer XSLT 2.0. Many developers have expressed their strong
wishes to have an XSLT 2.0 processor from their preferred vendor.

Cheers,
Dimitre Novatchev.