Richard Lanyon

As XML becomes accepted as the format for document markup, the demand for XML tools is also increasing. In particular, there's a need for a tool that can be easily programmed to perform any number of general reporting and editing operations on XML files. In the world of ASCII text, this role is fulfilled by scripting languages such as Perl and Python; such scripts sit behind many Web servers and are used in almost any situation where business requirements change so quickly that easy modification is of prime importance. It's entirely possible to use add-ons or modules that enable the use of Perl or Python with XML, but the fact remains that the native syntax of these languages has been very carefully designed for use with plain text. Also, if XML really is the ideal format for markup, the advantages of using XML syntax ought to apply just as much to a programming lan... (more)