RE: XSLT vs JSP

On Mon, 28 Jun 1999, Samuel Yang wrote:

> Being considered for Phase 2 of JavaSoft's "XML Standard Extension" (aka
> "ProjectX") is "pre/post filtering XSL/XSLT support".  The intention seems
> to be that the XSL/XSLT support will be accessed through JSP.
> 
> In fact, ProjectX has VERY ambitious plans for making the use of XML data
> virtually transparent to Java applications, and they all seem to center on
> using JSP.
> 
> The following JavaOne slides (in PDF format) provide a peek at what's being
> planned for the XML Standard Extension:
> 
> http://industry.java.sun.com/javaone/99/pdfs/e662.pdf

XML may have very important uses in the publishing field, depending.
Many publishers were hoping that SGML/DSSSL would be a useable common
format, but it turned out to be too complicated for editors to encompass
... these folks are not programmers, so DSSSL could not address those
people for which it had ben invented.

The sheer size of the tools themselves were too huge, and the thought
that most editors could tackle customizing their own DSSSL scripts is
actually humorous.

XML *could* be the language that people who *aren't* doing web
applications could finally use, if the base, xml and xslt+xsl-fo, are
kept simple enough for them to work with.

If JSP is brought into XML as an option, that allows users who have no
interest in web applications to forego a huge, complicated tool.  They
Regardless of what ObjectOriented enthusiasts would have you believe, OO
styled languages are no more understandable to editors that functional
languages are.  Having it as a separate tool gives me hope that maybe
those who wish more power will not manage to complicate a tool past the
point of useability by editors.  If they need more power, bring in JSP,
which seems able to give that power.

People who write newsletters, resumes, reports, and books I am
addressing.  They get overlooked because they don't have the technical
knowhow to write their own specs.

I think XSL is at the edge of being too complicated, but on the right
side at the moment.  Don't let that part grow, add instead things like
JSP. 


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