RE: Requirements and defintions documents

[David Burdett <david.burdett@commerceone.com>]

Henry

See comments below.

David

-----Original Message-----
From: Henry Lowe [mailto:hlowe@omg.org]
Sent: Friday, January 14, 2000 7:07 AM
To: ebXML Transport (E-mail)
Subject: Re: Requirements and defintions documents


There were errors when I sent this Thursday and it bounced.
Didn't see this until after checking out of the hotel, so 
you won't get this until after the deadline.

Henry
---------------------------
Hi all,

These are a few comments on the definitions document.

First a general comment.  These definitions are not object oriented.
Not that this is bad, but if ebXML wishes to deal with objects and 
componemts, as my short time with the Architecture WG indicated they 
wanted to do, we may requrie object oriented definitions, too.  We 
really need to find out what the general ebXML approach is/will be.
Perhaps we should contact the Architecture WG?

Clause 1.1
Is a wrapper itself a documnt?  thus, making the definition fully 
recursive.
##Not necessarily, but I think it's a good idea if they are.##

Clause 1.2
I would suggest revising the first sentence to read:
A Document is any collection of data elements that can ... .
##Disgaree. I don't think you could reasonably call a JPEG file a
"collection of data elements". Yet it's contents might be, for example, a
(hand) signed version of a contract and therefore something that you might
want to send for eCommerce purposes.##

Clause 1.2.2
Rather than saying "a message is data", it might be better to say "a 
message is a document" (which I think is true).
##Although a message can contain *a* document* in reality multiple
documents. I don't think saying a "message is a document" is helpful since,
it strictly interpreted, there would be no differences between them when I
think there are.##

Clause 1.3.4
Since a Service includes the exchange and processing of a 
(set of) document(s), I believe we want to add an item to the list 
of dependencies which would characterize a two-phase commit transaction, 
i.e., either completes successfully or rolls-back (never an error state), 
which is semantics for once-and-once-only.  Not sure what to call it.
Suggestions?  (In the OLTP world, it is generally referred to as a 
transaction, but that term has already been taken to mean something 
else in the EDI and XML world).
##If you are doing document exchange to support the replication of data
between two servers, then a two-phase commit, is useful (probably essential)
feature. However if you are doing a document exchange to support a business
process, then the processing of earlier documents may preclude a full
"roll-back" to the previous state. So once-and-once-only delivery of a
message is different from two-phase commit in my view.##


Best reqards,
Henry
-------------------------------
At 04:53 PM 01/11/2000 -0800, David Burdett wrote:
>I attach updated versions of the requirements and defintions documents. You
>will find quite a few changes since I received quite a lot of feedback.
Some
>of the suggestions came in emails sent privately to me so not everyone will
>be able to trace the original unless those individuals to whom I've posted
a
>reply want to forward my reply to the list.
>
>There are three pdf files:
>*      Version 5 of the requirements (with changes highlighted)
> <<ebXML Transport Requirements 5.pdf>> 
>*      the same as the previous item but with no changes highlighted - this
>is much easier to read
> <<ebXML Transport Requirements 5 without changes highlighted.pdf>> 
>*      and the ebXML Transport definitions document that is unchanged but
>I'm including in case someone new to the list hasn't seen it yet.
> <<ebXML Transport Definitions 1.pdf>> 
>
>We really need to tie these down and, after discussion with Rik, he's
>suggesting that we finally freeze the requirements document by 5PM PST this
>Thursday.
>
>David
>
>Advanced Technology, CommerceOne
>1600 Riviera Ave, Suite 200, Walnut Creek, CA 94596, USA
>Tel: +1 (925) 941 4422 or +1 (650) 623 2888; 
>mailto:david.burdett@commerceone.com; Web: http://www.commerceone.com
>