[Zope] XML / XSL / DTD

[Tres Seaver]

Alexander Staubo wrote:
> 
> When I say XSL I mean XSL :-)  An early syntax for specifying a
> style-sheet to render an arbitrary XML document was:
> 
>         <?xml-stylesheet href="BigAndBlusterousHtml.xsl" type="text/xsl"
> ?>
> 
> I don't know if this syntax has been preserved.
> 
> XSL style sheets can be used to transform an XML document, but when Jim
> Fulton mentioned XSL style sheets as being methods, I got somewhat
> concerned that he meant for them to be specified explicitly. I would
> rather have the option to render a specific set of documents using a
> default style sheet, if invoked.


I would argue AGAINST such embedding of a "default" stylesheet, as follows:

Mixing content and presentation trades off long-term flexibility and
maintainability in favor of short-term convenience.  This trade-off is the
fundamental design flaw in HTML which makes XML so appealing.  An XML document
is "about: structured content, with presentation issues abstracted away.  No
particular stylesheet is best to present that content in all contexts;  better
(and easy, with Zope's acquisition model) to allow the context to specify
presentation explicitly.

-- 
================================================================================
Tres Seaver            tseaver@palladion.com      http://www.palladion.com
Palladion Software     Houston, Texas, USA        713-523-6582