XSLTransformer: is there a node-set or nodeset function?

Lately I have found myself having to resort to Apache XALAN and Java to implement some DXL transforms because I needed the nodeset/node-set function.

There is very little documentation as to what functionality the XSLTransformer specifically implements.

Has anyone seen this used with XSLTransformer?

I am trying to avoid Java at the moment simply due to the lack of debugging and lack of Java skills in my department at the moment.

Has anyone heard of plans from Lotus for implementing XSL 2.0?