Re: Brave new world

["Lisa M. Shreve" <lms@wwnet.com>]

Robert,

> However I think that we can afford to be optimistic
> about ebXML.

I share your conclusion, we can afford to be optimistic!

> In my view the dominant a2a business integration problems
> have been:
> - the difficulty and cost of achieving truly usable interchange
>   standards via X12/EDIFACT standards + MIGs and/or
>   individual agreements, and
> - the fact that core business applications, especially those
>   intended for SME use, are generally not designed with a2a
>   integration in mind;  you have to go through hoops to get
>   transactions in and out.

I first heard about EDI in the late 80's, and based on career experience, I
knew exactly what EDI had to consist of and was truely enthusiastic about
the opportunity EDI represented.  Then, I actually saw what EDI was.  Talk
about disappointed!  I asked, where is the rest?  The part about how to
interface with communications?  The part about how to link with
applications?  I was told, we don't do that  .... we do standards.

This is where XML comes in.  XML has the technology and application vendors
attention.

As for the really tough problems, semantically consistent, stable, and
concise messages, guidance for application vendors, consistent enveloping,
etc.  This is where ebXML comes in.  The context work being done in Core
Components will yield a solid technical approach to this difficult
problem.  In addition, when combined with process models, represents a
blueprint to application vendors for interaction with external systems.


> Agree?

Yes!

lms