Re: Reference and First-Class Function

> The qualification probably does not change the meaning, 
> however xslt spec suggests to consider extension object as 
> atomic value:
> 
> 18.1.3 External Objects
> An implementation may allow an extension function to return 
> an object that does not have any natural representation in 
> the XDM data model, either as an atomic value or as a node.

I would have said it says exactly the opposite - the "external object" is
neither an atomic value or a node, it is something else: a third kind of
item.

But the text does go on to say, in effect, that the implementation can
extend the type system any way it likes to accommodate such values.

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