OBI = Open Buying on the Internet. A web-centric but integrated busines-to-business standard. Hi B2Bers! See http://www.x-obi.com/OBI400/OBI-RT-26-Apr-2001.ppt for details. Comments, questions etc are *very* welcomed! And while evaluating don't forget to read http://www.x-obi.com/purple and run http://buyer.x-obi.com to get a feeling of what [the proposed] OBI 4.0 system will offer in terms of ease of use and security. Unlike previous versions of OBI, we need to build a compatibility site during the specification period to make sure that "it really works". And to enable potential OBI implementers and customers to tryout OBI both in a technical way and from a user point of view. ====================================================================== OBI 4.0 could be the worlds first B2B system completely based on PKI and digital signatures. ====================================================================== PKI! The thing "everybody" talks about but virtually nobody uses? OBI 4.0 does PKI with "a twist" by applying it to the server-side [only] and exploiting the PKI infrastructure that already hundreds of millions already use (through Internet-banks, secure payment providers etc): VeriSigns (et al) web-server-certificates. Therefore we expect OBI 4.0 to be considerably easier to implement than OBI 3.0. At least if 100% interoperability is to be taken in consideration. We don't think that any implementor have succeed in building more than 50% of the specification with 3.0, as 100% leads to "monsterous" software. OBI 4.0 is (must be ) "lean and mean". And completely verifiable. Plug and play. Only simple things survive on the Internet as an experienced "e-business-man" told me a few weeks ago. However, OBI 4.0 needs your active participation and contributions to become a reality! Regards Anders Rundgren CEO X-OBI +46 70 - 627 74 37
