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Re: W3C-transformation language petition

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[Simon St.Laurent]
> This is self-serving (for XSL) at best.  It really sounds like
> you're calling for a managed and deliberate end to the growth of
> CSS, cutting off its air supply for future development.  Funny how
> that would tend to divert more resources and people in need of
> advanced functionality to XSL.
> 
> The final sentence seems like a softener - "I'm not saying that CSS
> shouldn't grow" - but think about it - that really does seem to be
> what the rest of this message is saying, no easy way around it.

Here's an easy way around it.  For a given piece of requested new
functionality, the CSS WG should evaluate it.  "Is this something we
can add to CSS without complicating the syntax?"  If so, then they
should add it.  If not, XSL gives them the ability to say no.  Without
an alternative, the answer is, "Well, this will complicate things, but
it's really needed."  With an alternative, they can say, "For
complicated tasks like this, you should use XSL."  CSS should be the
80% solution, and so far it's been a very good one.  If it tries to be
the 100% solution, it's going to be painful to use in the 80% cases.

I find discussions of personal bias or self-servingness pretty funny.
I actually resent XSL a bit for diverting attention from DSSSL; I've
invested a fair amount of intellectual energy in understanding DSSSL,
and would rather have an improved DSSSL than a new language.  But I
need the power, and I don't care whether it manifests itself in
parentheses, pointy brackets, or curly braces.  CSS does not currently
give me the power I need, and I think that trying to extend it to do
so will damage its valuable simplicity.

-Chris
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