Re: Porting of SQL-Ledger to run on top of phpgroupware

[C K Wu <ck...@ch...>]

Todd,

Thank you for the information.

Last year, when I started the porting effort, I did look into ebXML to
find the best way to augment such a port.  However, at the time, ebXML
was apparently majoring on the interchange of ledger-processed results or
intermediate results, which was probably not what SQL-Ledger or CK-Ledger
intended, ie, internal use within an SME.  But, I'll certainly look into the
current situation of ebXML.  Given the current development with the
Enron case, there may yet be a more fundamental change with the underlining
accounting classification, so there may be another round of ebXML
modifications.

With the other standards, as you mentioned, they seem to be still in a state of
flux.
At this point, I would rather go for the traditional way of developing an
application
by adding more useful basic functions or by integrating discrete systems to add

value for the end user.

IMHO, standards are good.  However, too many layers of standards will
have the effect of stopping new developers from entering the game, as the
new guys have to expertise themselves with all these standards and its
complex interplay before they can start to service or develop
standard-compliant
systems.  Perhaps, the Open Source Movement, in a small way, helps
new comers to experiment with new ways beyond established standards.

Best Regards,
CK


Todd Boyle wrote:

> CK, thank you for the work you're doing. I'd like to advocate your
> work be based on a public standards process.
>
> The need for common semantics in design of accounting
> systems includes naming of tables and fields, making it
> unambiguous exactly what is the meaning of information stored
> in the application.  The precise definitions of these things by design,
> can greatly improve the efficiency of integrators when they come later,
> to connect other applications.  And it can greatly improve the
> quality of their results.   ISO 11179 or ebXML metadata registries
> are today, the prevailing way of documenting the naming of
> information entities and the meanings and relations between
> them.  This is your foundation for mapping.  The latest release
> of ebXML Core Components Technical Specification was
> announced and posted as an attachment, in the mailing list at
>   http://lists.ebtwg.org/archives/ebtwg-ccs/200202/msg00089.html
>
> Common semantics also includes the naming and definition
> of behaviors, i.e. the interfaces that the other object can
> expect to be performed when they are invoked.   UML modeling
> is today, the prevailing way of documenting, and communicating
> these behaviors.  There are at least three free UML programs now,
> (Objecteering, Poseidon and ArgoUML)
>
> There is a bigger picture within which these semantic arguments
> are being discussed and that is, the semantics used EXTERNALLY
> between trading partners.  The prevailing external vocabulary today
> is EDI of course.  But due to its shortcomings an explosion of
> XML vocabularies have come into use in hundreds of domains.
> The converging of these into a single framework is happening
> in a number of competing Mega-Standards bodies who are in the
> business of creating lots of different standards as their business
> model (ISO, W3C, DISA/X12, UN/CEFACT, OASIS, the OMG, etc.)
>
> I just want to point out a resource for you, for significant General Ledger
> standards at http://www.arapxml.net/research.htm  and the ongoing
> work on an ARAP general ledger on that site.  Please join with
> us to make the ARAP spec into something that serves your
> needs as well as everybody elses, and build against that.   Further,
> I hope you will join in the standardization of a wider set of GL
> information entities described in the Requirements document
> on the same website,
> http://www.arapxml.net/requirements.htm
>
> Thanks for your patience,
> TOdd
> Todd Boyle CPA  9745-128th Ave NE  Kirkland WA
> International Accounting Services, LLC  www.gldialtone.com
> tb...@ro...  425-827-3107  project www.arapxml.net
>
> At 10:52 PM 2/15/02, C K Wu wrote:
> >Hello, folks,
> >
> >This is a rather lengthy post.  Please bear with me.
> >
> >I have started a project at sourceforge and named it, CK-Ledger, which
> >is a port of SQL-Ledger to
> >phpgroupware.  http://sourceforge.net/projects/ck-ledger