[Catalyst] (OT) xslt/xml, lisp ...

[Matt S Trout]

Daniel McBrearty wrote:
> This is an offshoot of a previous thread that touched on this ...
> 
> I don't know anything about functional languages, but I'm in the process 
> of picking it up (via "little lisper" and scheme). It's pretty 
> interesting shit, and that puts it mildly.

Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programming is also awesome, as 
is Paul Graham's deconstruction of the original McCarthy lisp paper.

> I've seen some references to similarities between XML etc and lisp 
> before, but haven't a clue what this means. Anyone care to shed some 
> friendly links or a few lines of explanation ... ?

the SXSLT/SSAX libraries (I think on sourceforge) are a bloody good way 
of seeing this; also maybe some of my more experimental BAST bits.

The key thing is that with Lisp there's zero distinction between program 
and data - which makes stuff like first-class macro-ing of stuff much 
easier to do. XSLT is sort-of like this - I've done XSLT sheets that 
generate XSLT sheets before now.

> for people that have really gotten to grips with FP/lisp, has it changed 
> the way you write or see perl much?

Yes. YES! I'm not sure I can find words to quantify how much getting 
your head round lisp will change your outlook on any and all programming.