OASIS and W3C?

[David RR Webber - XML ebusiness <Gnosis_@compuserve.com>]

http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2913395,00.html

David Berlind here overlooks several factors that mitigate against the 
situation he describes.

First of all - as several comments noted - the W3C is really not in the
e-Business, business, whereas OASIS firmly is.

Second, the W3C / OASIS have a joint liaison team where issues, if any, 
can be resolved.

Third, the W3C has too darn much on its plate already - and knows it.  
And has already been trying to keep the workload managable, close
out some working and stay focused on core XML plumbing technology.

The more serious question is how the positioning of WSBEL fits
alongside OASIS work with CEFACT on ebXML and BPSS?

I'm hopeful here that we will see a successful outcome.  BPEL4WS
was not a good spec' - being based on BPML, that is an <i>internal</i>
facing mechanism - suitable for use with things like Tuxedo / BEA
type models.  Whereas ebXML BPSS is a business analyst facing and 
e-Business networks type technology - with a complete architecture
stack - including CPA and CPP linkage.  For WSBEL to be successful
it needs to work in harmony with BPSS - using BPSS as the highlevel
business action model, and providing extensions and implementation 
mechanisms that exploit the WS stack.

John Evdemon (who is co-chairing the new BPEL TC) especially has 
worked on both ebXML and WS and I am confident in Johns' technical
skills to help steer some excellent outcomes here.

As several commentators noted - the domain of electronic business
execution engines - is way outside Tim Berners-Lees home terrain,
so no surprises that he is happy to see this effort move where the
technical expertise exists to foster its development.

Oh yes - and OASIS does do certification and deployment already - 
as evidence by the excellent work of the ebXML IIC and their delivery 
of ebMS interoperability between 12 vendors.    
The W3C has nothing comparable.

So horses for courses.  The W3C is continuing to create intellectually
crafted seminal technology.  OASIS is building complimentary business
focused implementations around those.

OASIS is learning how to successfully leverage the work around it, 
so that W3C, IETF, OMG and ebXML / CEFACT components can
contribute to providing customers with complimentary cost-effort
and sensible technology.    Smart, simple and elegant XML is definately
a mantra that is needed for successful e-Business focused 
specifications.

DW.

Chair OASIS CAM TC.