OT: X#, a new Msft functional language similar to Lisp; Python prominently mentioned

[Mike Meyer]

Ron Stephens <rdsteph at earthlink.net> writes:

> The author of this new online article, one Sean McGraff,  posits that
> most programming paradigms are either a)object oriented, like Java,
> Python, and C++ or b) use tabular data structures, such as relational
> data bases. He further posits that XML does not fit neatly into either
> object oriented nor tabular paradigms, but does fit neatly into a
> functional programming style that treats data and code as one and the
> same thing, like Lisp.

Aaiiee! I just flashed on programming in XML. I've done it. I still
have nightmares about it, but I'm getting better.

> Does anyone think the ideas expressed in this article about XML being
> easier to process in a functional programming style, are either
> accurate or stupid?

The authors of DSSSL thought the functional paradigm fit SGML well
enough to base DSSSL on Scheme. XML - aka "SGML for dummies" -
certainly has enough of the same properties that their logic applies.

> Could Python's functional programming style be a good fit for XML
> data? Could Python be extended to enhance such capabilities, if those
> capabilities have any validity?

Extending python to enhance those capabilities is a SMOP. However,
you're not likely to get the community to accept the changes to add
macros to the language. Tail recursion folding might go in, but most
people seem to think it's not worth the effort.


-- 
Mike Meyer <mwm at mired.org>			http://www.mired.org/home/mwm/
Independent WWW/Perforce/FreeBSD/Unix consultant, email for more information.