Re: Just Started XSL
Arne Vajhøj
> Peter Duniho wrote:
>> To program a computer is to provide it with certain prepared instructions
>> that cause the computer to do some specific task. XSLT is a language,
>> which can be used to program a computer. Ergo, XSLT is a programming
>> language.
>
> While I agree that XSLT is a programming language, I disagree with your
> reasoning. In that broad line of thinking HTML would be a programming
> language because when exposed to an HTML user agent it causes the computer
> to do the specific task of displaying hypertext.
It does not really cause the browser to perform certain tasks. It only
delivers some data that it is up to the browser do handle in some ways.
It is not fundamentally different from delivering data in a CSV file.
The only thing that gives the impression of it being programming
is that web developers actually know how the most common browsers
(IE, FF etc.) react to their data in great detail.
> But HTML is a markup language instead; while programming languages, most
> notably ECMAScript implementations, can be embedded in HTML, it lacks a
> basic property of a programming language: function, i.e. "to perform some
> kind of computation¹ or implement an algorithm."²
"certain prepared instructions that cause the computer to do some
specific task"
and
"to perform some kind of computation¹ or implement an algorithm."²
seems pretty close to me.
> F'up2 comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc where this is on-topic instead
I will not read replies then.
Arne
Pherdnut
> Sounds like another o your "gut feeling" reasons that you produce much too
> readily. Somebody should tell them that XSLT is even Turing-complete,
> hopefully they do their homework then (if they don't, I wouldn't want to
> work for/with them anyway.)
>
> F'up2 comp.infosystems.www.authoring.miscwhere this is on-topic instead
>
> PointedEars
> --
> Prototype.js was written by people who don't know javascript for people
> who don't know javascript. People who don't know javascript are not
> the best source of advice on designing systems that use javascript.
> -- Richard Cornford, cljs, <f806at$ail$1$8300d...@news.demon.co.uk>
I didn't tell anybody they were wrong, just that it's kind of an
unproductive point to push in that situation. People develop a lot of
funny ideas about what it is and isn't real programming and some don't
take the time to check wikipedia to see if you were right. If you're
in a position to pick and choose employers, power to you. I hope to be
there soon myself because the last job hunt was about as much fun as a
colon cleanse with a rusty chain. I dislike having to explain to
potential employers that the years of experience they've required in
their ads are actually more than the technology has existed.
Andy Dingley
> People develop a lot of
> funny ideas about what it is and isn't real programming and some don't
> take the time to check wikipedia to see if you were right.
ROFL! 8-)