P.S.

The DOM is a model to represent an XML document. The DOM API recs build 
on the DOM data model.

There are other models to represent XML documents: XPath uses one that's 
different than the DOM for example.

Then there's the Infoset:
http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/REC-xml-infoset-20011024/
says:
"* [attributes] An unordered set of attribute information items, one for 
each of the attributes (specified or defaulted from the DTD) of this 
element. Namespace declarations do not appear in this set."

Other models could declare the sequence of attributes relevant, etc.

IMHO, any RubyWay API should use 'The Document Object Model 's model' as 
a basis to build its' API on top. This way, it could perhaps use a DOM 
parser. Or it could adhere to the Infoset.

A clear choice would be very beneficial for POLS. A varying, unstable 
mix of DOM, XPath, and Infoset data models would confuse.

If none of them is a fit, the Ruby Way could define a new data model, 
and publish it as a stable spec.

The infoset spec seems to represent what a new RubyWay XML tree API needs.
http://www.w3.org/TR/xml-infoset/

Tobi



-- 
Tobias Reif
http://www.pinkjuice.com/myDigitalProfile.xhtml

go_to('www.ruby-lang.org').get(ruby).play.create.have_fun
http://www.pinkjuice.com/ruby/