Re: [xsl] XSLT 2.0 has arrived

Elliotte Harold wrote:
> I've already put in way more than a couple of hours figuring out how 
> to run it and debugging Saxon caused problems.
Downloading: < 1 minute. Installing: copy/paste. Running: doubleclick 
any xslt file in my filesystem from windows Explorer. There's a lot of 
software out there that is not as easy to install as Saxon. I even have 
a rightclick send-to for testing a stylesheet with several versions of 
Saxon. No conflicts, no hassle. And debugging from Eclipse (which 
happens to be build in Java as well and runs right away, too) gives no 
problems either.
Maybe you should ask your question on the Saxon list. It is fairly odd 
that you have so much trouble with Saxon.
> The problem with classpath issues and Java programs is that once you 
> fix them, they don't stay fixed. Or that the fix for one thing breaks 
> something else. You're always fixing things. It's not a good system.
> Elliotte Rusty Harold  elharo(_at_)metalab(_dot_)unc(_dot_)edu
> Java I/O 2nd Edition Just Published! 
Strange, you appear to be quite a Java expert yourself. Is that your 
book? I wonder, because the basis of any Java app (and Windows app, for 
that matter, but they call it DLL Hell) is getting the classpath 
straight. Though imho, that goes almost automatically (but I can't speak 
for the Mac)
On Unix, there's another huge problem: you never know what linked 
libraries there are and often you have to build from the sources to get 
it right for your flavor of Unix. Hardly an ideal system for an average 
user.
I agree that every system has its flaws, I just don't consider it fair 
considering the whole system bad just by having some bad experience with 
one app. I don't throw away my Mac because I can't get my video camera 
connected, and I am neither calling it a bad system. It just is 
incapable of installing a custom driver.
"It's not a good system" sounds quite out of place here. Having tens of 
millions of happy users (of which a lot are, luckily, criticists too) 
being able to easily use the splendid and well thought-of classpath and 
lib path system (it never gave me any trouble either), should make you 
wonder why the heck it is so hard for you.

> Is it Sun's fault, not Dr. Kay's? Yes. Does that mean Saxon doesn't 
> have this problem? No.
Not agreed, because you neglect the fact that Saxon comes in two 
flavors: .NET and Java. So, even if you are amongst the group of people 
that loath Java (as there is this seemingly small group that loathes 
Windows, or .NET, or Perl, or PHP or MySQL etc) you can still use it. 
And .NET can be used with MONO on any Unix flavor (not tried it though).
Btw, if you dislike both Java and .NET for any reason (classpath, color 
of coffee, whatever) you may also consider Gestalt, which was fairly 
neglected in this discussion so far. It runs on Eiffel and I dare say, 
Eiffel surpasses Java in many respects (but, that's because I like its 
color).
-- Abel

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