i guess i found it, i made it like this:
<xsl:template>
 <xsl:choose>
  <xsl:when test="not(preceding::item[1]/name=name)">
   <xsl:value-of select="name"/>
  </xsl:when>
  <xsl:otherwise>same as above</xsl:otherwise>
 </xsl:choose>
</xsl:template>
but now, i have to use "$name" variable instead of "name" element.
any suggestions?
jian

<items>
<item>
 <date>011020<date>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
 <name>jane</name>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
  .
  .
</item>
<item>
 <date>011020<date>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
 <name>alfa</name>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
  .
  .
</item>
<item>
 <date>011020<date>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
 <name>alfa</name>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
  .
  .
</item>
<item>
 <date>011021<date>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
 <name>jane</name>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
  .
  .
</item>
<item>
 <date>011021<date>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
 <name>bata</name>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
  .
  .
</item>
<item>
 <date>011020<date>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
 <name>betta</name>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
  .
  .
</item>
<item>
 <date>011021<date>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
 <name>jane</name>
 <stuff>stuff...</stuff>
  .
  .
</item>
</items>

and i want an output like

date               name
-----------------------
011020             jane
same as above      alfa
same as above      same as above
011021             jane
same as above      betta
011020             same as above
011021             jane

that is to have "same as above" where the previouse date/name is the same.
i've been trying something like:

<xsl:template match="item">
 <xsl:choose>
  <xsl:when test="not(preceding::item[position()=last()]/date=date)">
<!--for date-->
<!--   <xsl:when test="not(preceding::item[position()=last()]/name=name)">
and this one for name-->
   <xsl:value-of select="date"/><br/>
  </xsl:when>
  <xsl:otherwise>same as above</xsl:otherwise>
 </xsl:choose>
</xsl:template>

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