RE: XML Gave A War, But Nobody Came

["Rachel Foerster" <rachelf@ix.netcom.com>]

David,

Interesting perspective and prediction. I not sure whether I agree or not
with you.

In any case, let's put this in follow up for the end of this year to see if
your predictions about competitive positioning starts taking shape. If it
does, I owe you a beer somewhere!

Rachel

> -----Original Message-----
> From: David RR Webber [mailto:Gnosis_@compuserve.com]
> Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2000 12:23 PM
> To: INTERNET:rachelf@ix.netcom.com
> Cc: 'ebXML List'; 'William J. Kammerer'
> Subject: RE: XML Gave A War, But Nobody Came
>
>
> Message text written by INTERNET:rachelf@ix.netcom.com
> >>
> >    Asked if they cared about which XML version will win, [nine
> >    e-commerce executives at top Internet exchanges and e-businesses]
> >    all shook their heads. They will fight to set standards for the
> >    structure of XML documents in their respective industries, they
> >    said, but not about setting a common, global standard for the
> >    language.
> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>
> William,
>
> Right now this is because their customers don't care.
>
> But - they will!
>
> Notice that all the frazzle dazzle of e-Tailing Web sites
> belies the fact
> that:
>
> a) You use one of these ASP's you're trapped (or rather your
> data is!).
>
> b) If you want to play in more than one marketplace - you have to join
>     entirely separate systems and support both, or more.
>
> c) Don;t even try taking data out of one system and sending it over
>     to another, or even - taking say invoices out and putting them in
>     your local accounting system.
>
> In short - these are stovepipes - but all in the same verticals!
> There's hundreds - if not - thousands of these already.
>
> My sense is that six months from now you are going to see them
> start to compete on interoperability and maintainability cost-points.
>
> Right now they are in fantasy land spending IPO money and
> trying to get as many 'customers' on board as possible.
>
> Notice to many - customers are registered companies - even
> if they have never re-visited the site since they signed up for
> a 'free' trial or just to download the demo kit....
>
> No surprises here - we've seen all this before.
>
> DW.