>From: "Andr� Milton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > You both said the same thing so I'll address you both. XML and XSLT have > been debated over and over on this list. ;) I think everyone here is quite > familiar with what it can do and how to properly use it. Although it has > many strengths, I think the basic complaints were: convoluted, too strict, > and slow. My personnal problem with it is that I can't give it to a laymen > integrator or designer. They'll need training first and many of my clients > don't want that. You basically haven't done anything to make the template > developer's job easier if you tell them to code it all in XSLT, especially > if, as the point of this thread tries to stress, you haven't forced > structure. Don't get me wrong - I encourage its use for complex thingslike > dynamic drop down menus, comprehensive client-side searches, and contextual > glossaries. But I definately won't force it and certainly wouldn't use it
Well, learning and adapting to XSLT is something of a hurdle I can agree. However, XSLT isn't really that complicated when doing simple things. Basic templates doesn't require much than rudimental skills in XSLT. When you want to do more complicated stuff like filtering, aggregating content, reformating it can get quite complicated I agree but I guess that's a tradeoff with most technologies, the more powerful it is the more complicated it gets. Whereas too strict and slow I disagree. The only strictness is that data must in fact be wellformed XML, with all the problems that arise if it isn't that isn't unreasonable. Too slow I don't agree with either, XSLT properly used is probably the among fastest rendering methods possible, optimal performance is given by propering caching compiled stylesheets and doing a little optimizing. If your content is totally dynamical and personalized the best thing of course is to cache the output statically. When working with XML and XSLT the biggest problem is indeed the training of personell, the designer either needs to learn XSLT or he can hand it off to someone that converts his design into a Stylesheet. Personell needs to be able to design appropriate structures and schemas, and this is harder than it sounds. You have to put some real thought into this process so you don't limit yourself from future applications. In the same spirit authors need to learn to author content differently, by meaning rather than presentation which again takes some doing. Nothing of this is really simple but takes some investment, but my claim is that the invest is small in contrast to what you have to win. Sites and solutions based on XML/XSLT can save *a lot* of time and money when it comes to publishing, reformatting, serving up different versions etc and doing that with an assurance that you're working with a standardized format which uses and possibilities will only continue to grow. Another thing to keep in mind is that XML/XSLT is vendor indepent so changing from one system to another (as long as it's using XML/XSLT) doesn't mean starting all over. >> as a foundation for a CMS. This however is a personnal choice and not to > say it couldn't be done (many devs on this list have such systems). I store > everything in a relational DB but I have hierarchies internally and can > export (in fact do very much export) huge XML islands. Of course, having the content in a database is no issue but often times refered because of replicatin , transaction support etc, the main thing is that you can *output* it as XML. > The point of this > thread is whether structure is imposed prior to content creation and who is > responsible for defining that structure. There is no way I will get an > editor (the person) to build an XML schema although I could build a good > WYSIWYG editor that outputs one. Depends on how you train the editor, the problem as you stated is being able to convince the customers that it's worth it :) That said nothing keeps one from making a simpler template format on top of the XSLT, excluding functionality but simplifying it for users, and still having the possiblity to use XSLT when needed. best regards --- Mattias Konradsson -- http://cms-list.org/ trim your replies for good karma.
