Daniel Kong - 2001-03-14

Project seems to be coalescing.  Here's today's summary:

Project Constraints and Decisions
---------------------------------
"Openbuy":
* will be P2P -- A network that allows users with the same networking
program to connect with each other and directly access files from one
another's hard drives.
* will be Decentralized P2P.  There will be NO central server to act as a
traffic cop between servents.
* will at least use C#, .Net, XML, SOAP, and Web Services.
* assumes users to be running the MS .Net platform.
* deals with B2B.  More specifically, Openbuy will capture the indirect
procurement process, electronically enabling buying and selling (across
national borders?).
* deals only with "catalogue-able" products (ie. quantifiable, tangible
objects).  More specifically, Openbuy will allow POs of all products under
the hierarchical UNSPSC coding scheme.
* may have to deal with 'enabler' services such as taxation, credit card
processing, corporate bank account transactions
* may need to allow companies to auction and/or reverse auction
* may need to facilitate suppliers to get together to supply a large PO
* may need to facilitate buyers to get together for volume discount rates
* will use a client/server model within a company.  Corporate servers will
run servents and take part in the P2P network.  This is to centralize
business logic for security and code maintenance considerations.
* will have end-users use a browser-based, thin client.
* have its OpenSource code be hosted on sourceforge.net.

Immediate Tasks
---------------
All
---
Get your weekly meeting time with team scheduled.

Business Team
-------------
* Research the procurement process.  Be able to illustrate the entire
transaction process in detail from product search to RFP/RFQ to negotiation
to internal approval to PO to invoicing to payment to tracking to delivery
to receiving to anything-else-that-we-do-not-know-but-need-to-know.
(Actually walking through Ariba and following the links Pat sent on
CommerceOne, Ariba, Oracle tells you a lot.)
* Begin formal write-up of Project Document objectives and users.  "Scope"
has been handed down to Team IT.

IT Team
-------
* Research and present on UNSPSC.
* Research and present on xCBL.
* Research and present on SOAP.
* Research and present on UDDI.

Coders
------
* Practice writing those Web Services!

SysAdmin
--------
* Get Nolan to setup our server.

joe

PS Can Allan, Burt, Daniel, and Scott please e-mail me their ph#s?  Thanks!