XML on the web

[Cory Casanave <cory-c@dataaccess.com>]

ebXml Group,
We are developing  B2B integration tools that are very much in line with
ebXml.  As we have progressed in this work we have, of course, wanted to
test integration with external XML services (As well as Corba and EJB
services) such as may eventually be provided by ebXml but today may be
provided with custom architectures or BizTalk, OAG, Rosetanet...

The disturbing news is that we have found almost no XML services on the web.
We have even contacted some of the other standards groups to find real
users, with slim results.  Thus, the intent of this message is 3-fold;

1) To attempt to locate real (running) XML services (Based on standards or
not) for the purpose of testing interoperability and to serve as real life
use cases & test cases as we develop the ebXml architecture.

2) To suggest that ebXml or xml.org catalog such services - going beyond the
schemas to real-life providers and users with XML applications available on
the web.  This is good advertising for the services as well as for ebXml.

3) To suggest that as ebXml develops, a sample server be hosted on the ebXml
site, with sample applications to show how an XML application really works
on the web and to provide new users with a good first experience.

I am sure that there is quite a bit of XML on the web, but it may be that
today much of it is "hidden" by web pages and within private corporate
networks.  Users are swayed to a new technology by seeing others success,
lets make sure that the success of XML for B2B is visible.

Regards,
Cory Casanave
Data Access Technologies