From: "Steve Alexander" <steve@cat-box.net> Subject: Re: [Zope-dev] stacks != easy to explain
If you're using ordered attributes, then you're not using XML.
Indeed, and if your indentation is meaningful in your C source-code, you're not using C.
However, that doesn't negate the benefit of a consistent coding style.
Indentation style and the definition of XML are two different things. The XML spec clearly states that attributes are defined as unordered. So any XML editors or tool might rightfully reorder those attributes, thus mangling the meaning of any so-called XML code that depends on attribute order. Any so-called XML tool that depends on the order of attributes incorrect, and has a fundamental design flaw because it deviates from the agreed-upon standard. Just as any so-called C compiler that depends on indentation style is incorrect. -Don Reference: http://www.w3.org/TR/xml-infoset/ XML Information Set W3C Recommendation 24 October 2001 2. Information Items 2.2. Element Information Items An element information item has the following properties: 5. [attributes] An unordered set of attribute information items, one for each of the attributes (specified or defaulted from the DTD) of this element. Namespace declarations do not appear in this set. If the element has no attributes, this set has no members.