---------  Micheal

For maps we wanted the value part of a (key-value) pair to be ANY value, and to achieve that using element nodes would require an extension of XDM element nodes to the point where they bore little relationship to elements in XML. You could make map (and map-entry) into new kinds of node, and we considered that option, but then you would burden them with identity and parentage which we didn't want.

-------

So to flip this on its head ... if we got rid of node identity and parentage then Maps would fit well into the XDM model. (? and probably arrays too ... ?)

I do fear this would break too much of XML's basis and  existing  toolchains  to be likely to be considered as an upgrade path ... so I am not actually proposing it, just trying to understand the barriers and design considerations

-David

----------------------------------------

David A. Lee

dlee@c...

http://www.xmlsh.org