[Zope-dev] XSL for Zope - a bounty on this?

[Damian Morton]

A number of people have expressed a desire to have XSL support in Zope. The
projects I am working on also seem to be needing the application of XSL, and
whilst we can (and will) use some external XSL processor, it would seem that
a 'cleaner' solution would be to have XSL support directly in Zope.

I originally came to want to use Zope because I needed a tool that allowed
the manipulation of a persistant tree of objects; my prototype was done in
XML, but it needed persistance, an interface, and a programming language,
hence the use of Zope. Even having only XPath support would be an extremely
usefull way for packaging up simple 'queries' on the Zope database.

Ive been looking around at the Python XSL implementations and the
FourThought 4suite is looking pretty damned good, especially considering
their goal of eventual ODMG 2.0 support. Zope desparately needs some
standards compliance, even if only for the buzzwords.

The question on my mind is: how much do other people want XSL in Zope?

Im willing and able to put some $$$ up for a bounty on this. Is anyone else?

I guess Id also like to heard what DC has to say about this; whether they
are willing to have an external group contribute/merge a key technology into
their codebase, and if they have any preferences about who this group might
be.



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Heres what Uche Ogbuji of FourThought has to say about Zope
http://www.pythonjournal.com/volume1/issue2/col-intranetpython/

The Zope Dope
Digital Creations, fresh from a capital infusion, has given Pythoneers their
first complete native Web application platform in Zope.  the "Z Object
Publishing Environment".  Zope is similar in scope to Cold Fusion or
SilverStream, but open-source and python-powered.

Zope accumulates many bits and pieces of a successful Intranet site.  It
incorporates a database management system with object extensions (which,
unfortunately, doesn't yet support the Object Database Management Group's
specifications) as well as facilities for developing template Web sites, an
application framework, a CGI mechanism for handling HTTP requests for
objects, an HTTP and FTP server, and a comprehensive application framework
to tie it all together.  Z Templates are developed using a proprietary
XML-based language, the Document Template Markup Language (DTML).  ZTML does
make some departures from the XML community in such areas as style-sheets,
but it is hoped that Digital Creations or other contributors to Zope will
work to close that gap.

Zope is a synthesis of Digital Creations' many earlier products, such as
Bobo, Principia and PCGI.  Bobo has been especially popular among Python/Web
programmers, and Zope looks poised to retain the tradition.  If Zope can
move a bit closer towards object database and XML-processing standards, it
is likely to be quite popular outside the Python community as well.