[exprla-devel] XML/Web infrastructure

[reid_spencer <ras...@re...>]

--- In xpl-dev@y..., "Simon St.Laurent" <simonstl@s...> wrote:
I'm going to reply to various bits, and hope this doesn't get too 
confusing.

Richard Hein wrote:
>www.xml.com has an articles about some things we need to be 
>informed about,
> including the foundational infrastructure of the 'net and how XML 
>makes too
> much of a demand on the current infrastructure,

I'm not certain that XML makes 'too much of a demand', but it 
certainly
makes demands and opens new possibilities.  I tend to enjoy the
'disruptions' XML causes.

Kurt Cagle wrote:
>I just spent three days closeted with Simon St. Laurent, who wrote 
the
>article, and while I agree with him in part, I would also keep in 
mind that
>he represents just one side of this issue.

Kurt's completely right that there are _many_ sides to all of these 
issues.
 I wouldn't have written the article if it hadn't been for the strong
opposition some of those opinions have generated.  I'd like to see XML
carry on disrupting things, but not everyone is happy about that.

Kurt wrote:
>I do agree
>with Simon with regard to the issue of SOAP and XML-RPC, and I have 
made me
>feelings known about that in the VBXML board -- we are utilizing the 
HTTP
>protocol incorrectly, placing too many demands upon it to 
efficiently handle
>the use of the network as a common interchange medium for messagess. 
It also
>gives me more than a little pause about both security concerns and
>architecure.

I don't think XML-RPC and SOAP use the "HTTP protocol incorrectly", 
though
I certainly think it's worth considering more efficient transfer 
protocols
with clearer security.

Then Richard wrote:
>Kurt says that he
>disagrees with Simon St. Laurent, who wrote an article on the 
problems with
>the current infrastructure on http://www.xml.com in the sense that 
it may be
>too late to change a lot of it now.  I don't really know what to 
think about
>that, but I wonder because it only took a few years for the internet 
to grow
>out of obscurity into this huge thing, so why would it be so bad to 
change
>it somewhat for XML?

I think it's time to consider changing the Internet to make better 
use of
XML and to simplify implementing the possibilities XML opens up.  
It's not
yet time to throw everything out and start over, but I'm glad to hear 
that
people are willing to at least consider the possibility of a 
transition.

These are interesting times!

Simon St.Laurent
XML Elements of Style / XML: A Primer, 2nd Ed.
http://www.simonstl.com - XML essays and books
--- End forwarded message ---