> The reason you are seeing whitespace in the attribute output is because you
> are using implied output text.  As soon as you use implied output text -
> that implied output text will also include any whitespace (inc. tabs, CRs
> etc.).
>
> You can overcome this by using explicit output text (and it's best to get
> into the habit of using explicit output text), e.g.
> The ampersands are being correctly recognised and are being URL encoded
> according to the HTML/XHTML specs.

Hi,

Setting the output method to 'text' may solves the ampersand and the superfluous wittespaces, but the 'a' element and it's attribute will not be outputted. (http://www.w3.org/TR/xslt.html#section-Text-Output-Method)
I don't think it makes sense to output 'text' if you're actually dealing with 'html'. Moreover you'd have to have to strinyfy all element and attributes throughout the stylesheet, a really bad idea if you ask me.
If this 'hack' really is the only way around it, don't you agree that this is a shortcomming in the XSLT1.0 Recommendation?

regards,
-- 
Joris Gillis (http://www.ticalc.org/cgi-bin/acct-view.cgi?userid=38041)
Ceterum censeo XML omnibus esse utendum