RE: ebXML will end up being too expensive for small business

[Bill Chessman <bill.chessman@sfo.harbinger.com>]

Thus far, I've just been a lurker on the ebXML lists, but my gift of gab could
no longer be held back...I had to add my $.02.  8-)

To my mind, this brings up a question which may be inappropriate at this time
because a) it's already been answered, or b) it's never been quite answered to 
anyone's satisfaction and nobody wants to deal with it just now.

The question is: What exactly does everyone think they will get out of ebXML? 
That may be too broad a question but there seems a great scattering of opinion
on what's expected.  So let me ask one possibly refining question:  Is it the
expectation of anyone that ebXML is going to be duct-taped to legacy systems or
is it more likely to be the foundation of "next generation" systems?

As far as I understand, there are those:
 -> who really truly believe ebXML is going to be conversion of EDIFACT and/or
X12 to XML syntax.
 -> who really truly believe ebXML is going to be a replacement of EDIFACT
and/or X12 with comparable documents.

Some even seem to imply that the above conversions/replacements will solve all
our EC problems!

(There are many other opinions, and I don't mean to imply those above are
majority opinions.  Those just struck me as the most problematic.)

But that's not it...is it?  The developments in ebXML have to do with business
processes, that is, what data is needed for the business process, when it is 
needed and how to get it back and forth as opposed to the more EDI-style
approach where the sole interest is in the content of the document and how the
<blank> to get between it and a legacy system.

One of the things I noticed in the recent exchanges on the many ebXML lists was
the idea of PO and invoice types of components.  <disclaimer>There's so much
traffic that I find it difficult to keep up my job and follow all this stuff,
so I may be out of context or completely out in the wilderness.</disclaimer> 
Having said that, I'm wondering why the "core" components would be as big as a
PO or invoice.  Just from my own experiences in EDI/EC, it's hard enough to
come up with an address component that could satisfy everyone!

Getting back to my own "refining question", seems like the latter would be the
answer particularly since the frameworks and components could be incorporated
into all sizes and types of software all the way down to the shrinkwrapped PC
packages to run the S-est of SMEs.

Maybe I'm on the right track, maybe I'm not.  Thanks, anyway, for letting me
try out my thoughts in a relatively public place.  8-)

Bill Chessman
Harbinger Corporation

P.S. OK, that was a pretty large $.02.  8-)

On 01-Jun-00 William J. Kammerer wrote:
> Seen on comp.text.xml on 18 May 2000:  "ebXML will take another year,
> and will be the future platform for enterprise scale companies and
> entities...ebXML will end up being too expensive for small business, and
> very similar to EDI which preceded it," by Todd F. Boyle, at
> http://www.deja.com/getdoc.xp?AN=624807728&fmt=text.
> 
> Can this possibly be true?  What have we wrought?  If only
> "enterprise-scale" entities can use it, what about ebXML's promise to
> bring B2B interoperability to the masses?
> 
> William J. Kammerer
> FORESIGHT Corp.
> 4950 Blazer Memorial Pkwy.
> Dublin, OH USA 43017-3305
> (614) 791-1600
> 
> Visit FORESIGHT Corp. at http://www.foresightcorp.com/
> "Commerce for a New World"