Re: XML as a transition to s-expr

["S. Alexander Jacobson" <address@hidden>]

On 18 Dec 2001, Seth Gordon wrote:
> Think of the implications if you want to write an Emacs mode that
> auto-indents a program in that language, where the program being
> indented may refer to functions being defined in an external module,
> lexically scoped definitions of functions, functions that the author
> has referred to while writing the code but hasn't actually implemented
> yet....

Ok, then why not use indent to your advantage as python and haskell do.
Here is an even simpler version (no parens at all!):

   table :cellpadding "0" :cellspacing "0"
     tr
       td :width "50%" "Cell one"
       td :width "50%" "Cell two"

Program in outline mode.  Functions only consume what is on their own line
or indendted on another.  It is easier to process (just read it backwards).
Equivalent to parse.  But, the important point is  for the user it is
more readable, easier to type, and very amenable to using emacs or an
outliner as your editor.

-Alex-
___________________________________________________________________
S. Alexander Jacobson                   i2x Media
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