X# speculation: - via JD on MX
Kurt Cagle has an article over at builder.com about possible future developments atop XML. Like XML Native Scripting, he says it's plausible to add data-manipulation functions within the data structure itself, in effect creating an encapsulated object which is protected by its namespace. I'm still not sure about this... my gut says that you'd want to keep data structures lightweight and neutral, and build efficient handling routines into the host rather than the packet... but Kurt's been around the block with this stuff, and it's a thought-provoking read.
I ment to Blog this on Friday but ran out of time (or rather wanted to get out of the office :). I read Kurt's article as well, no one knows for sure what X# will be but Kurt's article is a interesting and possible take on what it may do.
In this approach the XML its self remain's untouched, the XML schema defines what shape the XML will take and therefore X# may be able to take this to create a class of that object. Therefore we let the XML Schema define for us what the XML (and thus the class) is all about.
XML can be as light or as heavy as you want, its up to the schema. Thus the resulting class is as heavy or light as you want. The concern here maybe that developers will shape the schema to create a complex class and therefore the resulting XML will be heavyweight monester. I guess its upto the mind set, if you keep it simple and encapsulate it to include more functionaility then you are not creating a monster. I guess this was John's concern.
If this is the direction for X# then the education must go with it but I don't think X# should restrict or confine a developer. Personally I think the bluring the line that defines what XML is to a programming language is a great thing as we seek better and faster ways of programming XML.
BTW the JSML stuff the article mentions can be found here, the Wrox book on the subject is rare to find.
5:31:25 PM 
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