XML and Transcoding - How Would You Do It?

morzel asks a doosy: "XML is one of these words everybody's talking about yet no-one really knows how to use it in specific applications or server technologies. At the Apache XML Project, some work is being done on integrating XML/XSL in the server itself, but personally I like IBM's idea of a transcoder in between a range of (XML) servers and a range of clients. But... how can it be done?" (More)

"Suppose you have to develop an on-line application, and you'd want to go with XML on the server side, and everyday browsers on the client side. Portable platforms like Palm and WAP-enabled phones will probably be a client platform that is being used frequently.
What tools -open source or commercial- are available to accomplish this?

The elements of the system are:

• XML Enabled Database system: Data is retrieved by the transcoder using HTTP or your favorite protocol
• Transcoding gateway: should translate the XML data using XSL (or another way) to a form readable by the client. The exact translation or the XSL to use can be set by the server (included in the XML source), or be detected by the gateway.
• Browsers of all colours and kinds.

A typical usage of this system would be the publishing of an on-line application without having to bother with client troubles except for writing the XSLs. I do web development, and the amount of work that goes into making sure every platform works as it's supposed to be is way too much in comparison to the functionality of the system. Specially when exotic clients like PDAs and WAP mobile phones are requested client platforms (e.g.: a sales follow-up app), the burden of getting everything working and having a UI that does the job is a real nightmare...

XML is the wave of the future, that's for sure... But what tools are available to actually incorporate XML in a system that can do all things we poor webdesigners dream of?

All suggestions welcome! "