atom and xml

is atom the same as xml? can i use xpath on it and traverse the node the same way as xml?

may i know what is the xpath of the below atom? am i right to say it is:

/feed/id/link/link/title/link/link/updated/openSearch:itemsPerPage/link/entry if i want to get to <entry>?

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> 
- <feed xmlns:google="http://base.google.com/ns/1.0" xml:lang="en-US" xmlns:openSearch="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearch/1.1/" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:twitter="http://api.twitter.com/">
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:search/twitter</id> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=twitter" /> 
 <link type="application/atom+xml" rel="self" href="http://search.twitter.com/search.atom?q=twitter" /> 
 <title>twitter - Twitter Search</title> 
 <link type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" rel="search" href="http://search.twitter.com/opensearch.xml" /> 
 <link type="application/atom+xml" rel="refresh" href="http://search.twitter.com/search.atom?q=twitter&since_id=1269702429" /> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:38Z</updated> 
 <openSearch:itemsPerPage>15</openSearch:itemsPerPage> 
 <link type="application/atom+xml" rel="next" href="http://search.twitter.com/search.atom?max_id=1269702429&page=2&q=twitter" /> 
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269702429</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:38Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/nittwit7000/statuses/1269702429" /> 
 <title>Jimmy Fallon #tweets for late-night success. Let's hope #Twitter can stand the strain. http://tinyurl.com/dymvkb</title> 
 <content type="html">Jimmy Fallon <a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23tweets" rel="nofollow">#tweets</a> for late-night success. Let's hope <a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23Twitter" rel="nofollow">#Twitter</a> can stand the strain. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/dymvkb" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/dymvkb</a></content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:38Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/57614676/Photo_040408_001_normal.jpg" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://twitter.com/" rel="nofollow">web</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>nittwit7000 (Carleton Bryant)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/nittwit7000</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269702378</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:37Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/just_tru/statuses/1269702378" /> 
 <title>Good morning twitter-ific folks! It's back to reality...hope everyone is good.</title> 
 <content type="html">Good morning twitter-ific folks! It's back to reality...hope everyone is good.</content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:37Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/61517006/pink_rose_normal.jpg" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://twitter.com/" rel="nofollow">web</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>just_tru (just_tru)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/just_tru</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269702341</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:38Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/ashworthedu/statuses/1269702341" /> 
 <title>hi, hope everyone is doing well, feel free to reach out to us through twitter if you need assistance!</title> 
 <content type="html">hi, hope everyone is doing well, feel free to reach out to us through twitter if you need assistance!</content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:38Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/57914080/ashworth100x100_normal.jpg" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://twitter.com/" rel="nofollow">web</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>ashworthedu (Ashworth)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/ashworthedu</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269702266</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:36Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/denschaal/statuses/1269702266" /> 
 <title>Interviews about secret sauce of youtube, twitter, facebook, myspace etc. Anybody got some do's and don't for travel marketers?</title> 
 <content type="html">Interviews about secret sauce of youtube, twitter, facebook, myspace etc. Anybody got some do's and don't for travel marketers?</content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:36Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/85855126/headshots_005_normal.jpg" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://www.ping.fm/" rel="nofollow">Ping.fm</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>denschaal (Dennis Schaal)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/denschaal</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269702236</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:35Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/obulteel/statuses/1269702236" /> 
 <title>Just arrived on Twitter</title> 
 <content type="html">Just arrived on Twitter</content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:35Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://static.twitter.com/images/default_profile_normal.png" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://www.tweetdeck.com/" rel="nofollow">TweetDeck</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>obulteel (Olivier Bulteel)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/obulteel</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269702219</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:35Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/Marc_Meyer/statuses/1269702219" /> 
 <title>Is #skittles actively participating on Twitter? That would be a no.</title> 
 <content type="html">Is <a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23skittles" rel="nofollow">#skittles</a> actively participating on Twitter? That would be a no.</content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:35Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/81736791/itsme_normal.jpg" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://www.tweetdeck.com/" rel="nofollow">TweetDeck</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>Marc_Meyer (Marc Meyer)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/Marc_Meyer</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269702210</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:35Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/ReflectiveBore/statuses/1269702210" /> 
 <title>@andylevy if you want to follow him, the @AlanColmes twitter is legit. but he mainly uses it to give notices of new blog posts, like Greta.</title> 
 <content type="html"><a href="http://twitter.com/andylevy" rel="nofollow">@andylevy</a> if you want to follow him, the <a href="http://twitter.com/AlanColmes" rel="nofollow">@AlanColmes</a> twitter is legit. but he mainly uses it to give notices of new blog posts, like Greta.</content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:35Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/68578191/airwolfseason202_normal.jpg" /> 
 <link type="application/atom+xml" rel="thread" href="http://search.twitter.com/search/thread/1269702210.atom" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://twitter.com/" rel="nofollow">web</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>ReflectiveBore (Reflective Bore)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/ReflectiveBore</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269702207</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:36Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/AliciaFisk/statuses/1269702207" /> 
 <title>Check out my profile to see the new Twitter background I created from TwitBacks.com #twitbacks http://tinyurl.com/6owdfd</title> 
 <content type="html">Check out my profile to see the new Twitter background I created from TwitBacks.com <a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23twitbacks" rel="nofollow">#twitbacks</a> <a href="http://tinyurl.com/6owdfd" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/6owdfd</a></content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:36Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://static.twitter.com/images/default_profile_normal.png" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://twitter.com/" rel="nofollow">web</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>AliciaFisk (Alicia Fisk)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/AliciaFisk</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269702115</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:33Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/TeacupsMudpies/statuses/1269702115" /> 
 <title>I'm finally setting up a Twitter account! I hope I can figure all this out. :)</title> 
 <content type="html">I'm finally setting up a Twitter account! I hope I can figure all this out. :)</content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:33Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/85875212/125x125adbannerteacupsgif_normal.jpg" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://twitter.com/" rel="nofollow">web</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>TeacupsMudpies (Holly Paul)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/TeacupsMudpies</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269702113</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:33Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/baomoi/statuses/1269702113" /> 
 <title>Oh tự nhiên nghĩ là Twitter nên support tính năng follow và unfollow 1 hash nào đó. Ví dụ unfollow hash #chemgio :"></title> 
 <content type="html">Oh tự nhiên nghĩ là Twitter nên support tính năng follow và unfollow 1 hash nào đó. Ví dụ unfollow hash <a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23chemgio" rel="nofollow">#chemgio</a> :"></content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:33Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/64583660/PB140151_normal.JPG" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://twitterfox.net/" rel="nofollow">TwitterFox</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>baomoi (baomoi)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/baomoi</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269702107</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:33Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/christine5512/statuses/1269702107" /> 
 <title>Remembering she has a twitter.</title> 
 <content type="html">Remembering she has a twitter.</content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:33Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://static.twitter.com/images/default_profile_normal.png" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://twitter.com/" rel="nofollow">web</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>christine5512 (christine5512)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/christine5512</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269702070</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:31Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/rodti/statuses/1269702070" /> 
 <title>@mattgemmell My Natsulion icon spends half the day crying as it is. Handing Twitter duties to Adium would make it suicidal.</title> 
 <content type="html"><a href="http://twitter.com/mattgemmell" rel="nofollow">@mattgemmell</a> My Natsulion icon spends half the day crying as it is. Handing Twitter duties to Adium would make it suicidal.</content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:31Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/69580986/09_normal.jpeg" /> 
 <link type="application/atom+xml" rel="thread" href="http://search.twitter.com/search/thread/1269702070.atom" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://m.slandr.net" rel="nofollow">m.slandr.net</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>rodti (rodti macleary)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/rodti</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269701984</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:31Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/chucksimmins/statuses/1269701984" /> 
 <title>RT @danielaarens: 25 Innovative Ways Companies Are Using Twitter (That You May Not Have Heard Of Yet) http://tinyurl.com/bovxoz</title> 
 <content type="html">RT <a href="http://twitter.com/danielaarens" rel="nofollow">@danielaarens</a>: 25 Innovative Ways Companies Are Using Twitter (That You May Not Have Heard Of Yet) <a href="http://tinyurl.com/bovxoz" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/bovxoz</a></content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:31Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/63500133/mercury06202006_normal.jpg" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://twitter.com/" rel="nofollow">web</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>chucksimmins (Chuck Simmins)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/chucksimmins</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269701981</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:31Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/penguinzoo/statuses/1269701981" /> 
 <title>Back in the world of twitter, not been online for a while family bereavement but things are about back to normal now :)</title> 
 <content type="html">Back in the world of twitter, not been online for a while family bereavement but things are about back to normal now :)</content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:31Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/26685762/n508129975_46308_894_normal.jpg" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://twitter.com/" rel="nofollow">web</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>penguinzoo (Penguin Zoo)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/penguinzoo</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
- <entry>
 <id>tag:search.twitter.com,2005:1269701980</id> 
 <published>2009-03-02T16:01:31Z</published> 
 <link type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://twitter.com/ugh1/statuses/1269701980" /> 
 <title>Twitter Your Guilt Away W/SecretTweet --"I'm an alcoholic on the road to recovery. I told my friends I stopped drinking for lent." more lol</title> 
 <content type="html">Twitter Your Guilt Away W/SecretTweet --"I'm an alcoholic on the road to recovery. I told my friends I stopped drinking for lent." more lol</content> 
 <updated>2009-03-02T16:01:31Z</updated> 
 <link type="image/png" rel="image" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/80190464/animated128_normal.gif" /> 
 <twitter:source><a href="http://twitter.com/" rel="nofollow">web</a></twitter:source> 
- <author>
 <name>ugh1 (Beautiful SUH-VY-VAH)</name> 
 <uri>http://twitter.com/ugh1</uri> 
 </author>
 </entry>
 </feed>

Yes, Atom is written in XML. As for your XPath expression, I haven't followed the whole thing but you're going to run into the problem where XPath 1.0 can't find elements with names in the default namespace. You would have to define a namespace context for the URI of the default namespace and assign it a prefix, then use that prefix in your XPath expression.

thank you . i figured out that i should be using "//default:entry"