> Considering that Microsoft often walks an extra mile to make 
> things easier for users, it is also my guess that Microsoft 
> will allow the
> collection() function to read files saved by same stylesheet, 
> just like SAXON and AltovaXML have chosen to do.

Actually, Saxon only allows that because I haven't yet written the code to
prevent it. Generally the rules and intent of the spec are designed to
prevent a stylesheet reading something that it has written "earlier",
because that makes the stylesheet dependent on order of execution.

Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/