XAML is a hack

.... We then applied the same hack (uhm, i mean design) to the element explar ....  [via simplegeek]

And there we have it - they came across some problems with the initial (very cute) idea and its been one hack after another thereafter. That a hack is 'by design' doesn't make it any less of an inelegant, unsatisfactory hack. This does explain some of the bizarre syntax I have previously complained about. One wonders if the implementation of XAML is becoming like writing Word Processors - you end up putting in kludges/hacks in the code to cope with particular strange cases. That's OK a) the hack works and b) its invisible to the 'user' (they just see the programming formatting correctly as they expect) - hacking implementation of a 'programming' language ain't going to work.