> Of course you have identified the heretofore limiting issue: > standardization. Until the software packages that SMEs use provide turnkey > standardized XML interfaces, SMEs will not enter the world of electronic > data interchange.
Why do you say this? Not to belittle the importance of standards (they do make the world easier), but the beauty of *technology* of XML is that translating from one syntax to another is a snap. So if your partner has standardized on X12, but you use something simple like QuickBooks, which has an XML in/out path, as long as you can get that X12 document XML, it's real easy to transform the document into the QuickBooks "proprietary" XML format. What's really missing for SMEs are not message standards, but rather an affordable platform that is A) flexible enough to be used in a variety of backend systems and B) easy-to-use enough that they don't need a whole IT department just to run. My experience with SMEs is with the "S" side of SME. For these guys, the biggest fear of going EDI is how they hear that you need to hire on one or two fulltime IT guys just to handle the system. They barely have enough money to pay themselves, let alone extra (and what they deem frivolous) IT employees. Ease of use is crucial for SMEs. Bryce K. Nielsen SysOnyx, Inc. (www.sysonyx.com) Makers of xmlLinguist, the EDI-to-XML Translator http://www.sysonyx.com/products/xmllinguist . Please use the following Message Identifiers as your subject prefix: <SALES>, <JOBS>, <LIST>, <TECH>, <MISC>, <EVENT>, <OFF-TOPIC> Access the list online at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
