RE: Rawlins Comments on R&R Info Model and Services Spec

["Nieman, Scott" <Scott.Nieman@NorstanConsulting.com>]

>>Line Range: 399-402, table 
Type: Technical
Issue or Rationale: No valid case for including support for
Object_Type_Software_Component in this specification
Suggested Change: Remove

Mike, I will speak wearing two hats to address your comment.  Both X12X/SITG
and UN/CEFACT/TMWG recognized the need for the inclusion of software
components.  A scenario by definition is a path through a use case, or more
specifically as the use case is realized, a path through a state machine.  A
software component that implements this state machine when operated with the
ebXML Messaging Service allows the ability to integrate XML messages
directly into business applications; including custom applications,
commercial off the shelf packages, and legacy apps.  Integration is the key
rational for this statement, and it does not have to be done with an
expensive tool like traditional EDI mapping tools.  It ties back to the
basic business requirements, of creating low cost solutions for the SME.

I have sent several messages to various listservs on this topic.  While one
ebXML Registry stores specifications, another may store company profiles,
and another may store software components that bridge between business
applications and XML interfaces.  Some of this is alluded to in the TA spec
(lines 303-304 and 324-326).  So, as a trading partner discovers another
trading partner (its capabilities, its business processes -> represented as
scenarios) it may also discover that software component is available at the
software component registry (through an association to an external object)
that allows it to interact with the discovered trading partner for the
scenario in their CPP.    In the case of the commerical off the shelf
package, such as QuickBooks, this software component would be provided by
the software vendor (Quicken or its assigns).  Its no different than your
browser downloading a Shockwave plug-in, installing, and wa-la, ready for
prime time (in this case B2B).

So help me out, why is this NOT a valid case?

I would like to stress that software component registries do already exist,
and could be adapted to this business case.
http://www.componentregistry.com/ 

Regards,

Scott


-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Rawlins [mailto:rawlins@metronet.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2001 2:07 PM
To: ebxml-regrep@lists.ebxml.org
Subject: Rawlins Comments on R&R Info Model and Services Spec


Please find my comments attached below.

--
Michael C. Rawlins, Rawlins EC Consulting
http://www.metronet.com/~rawlins/