Re: Syntax Free Models

["Martin Bryan" <mtbryan@sgml.u-net.com>]

Bob

> Fully understood.  Here is an article that may be useful,
> discussing different methods for presenting interactions,
> ending up recommending a simplified form of Dooley graphs:
> http://www.erim.org/~van/dooley.pdf

I prefer the tabular form used in Table 4 to the more visually oriented
version (but then I'm a text man, not an artist!)

I like the REQUEST > COMMIT/REFUSE part of the sequence but feel that the
SHIP > PAY model is too weak for a general model of business transactions.

> No guarantee that anything there is better, but I do find
> the linear sequence confusing.  Maybe it will be good
> for stimulating ideas...

The alternative is the directroy representation, but this is more space
consuming:

      Order
          |_______Acknowledgement
                  |___Despatch Advice
                                     |____Receipt
                                                       |______Invoice
                                                               |___Tax
Statement

|____Payment


>
> >In most cases
> >the best thing to do with interactive processes is to "build" a single
> >message as a set of subprocesses. A good example of how this can be done
is
> >illustrated by OTP.
>
> For example? (In other words, I might have a vague idea of what you mean,
> or might have missed the point altogether.)

Select item for shopping trolley
     |__ Provide quote
              |____Accept quote
                        |____Offer delivery method
                                    |___Accept delivery method
                                            |___Offer payment method
                                                     |___Accept payment
method

Martin