Help parsing a node

Hi all --

Can someone translate this into plain English for me?

<xsl:variable name="uniqueTypes"
select="ead/archdesc/dsc/descendant::*/container[not(@type=following::*/conta
iner/@type)]/@type" />

What exactly will this select?  And (since it starts with the root node) will
it select the exact same thing no matter where it's used?

I thought I knew but it isn't behaving at all the way I expected.

Thanks --

Michele
+++++++++++++++
Michele Combs
Lead Archivist
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University
315-443-2081
mrrothen@xxxxxxx
scrc.syr.edu
library-blog.syr.edu/scrc