> The scenario I'm looking to solve would be I send a Purchase Order from my
> company using XML in an email to one of my less sophisticated suppliers.
> The supplier picks up the email opens the XML document and this action
> creates an acknowledgement back to me to resolve the PO transmission.
David,
You want a simple, least-cost solution for unsophisticated users. For that
purpose, e-mail is not your only alternative. Consider these issues:
1. Mail delivery is not guaranteed. Mail server outtages, without any
feedback to the sender, are common.
2. People might use a PC, palm computer, or mainframe computer terminal to
read an e-mail message. Text (and XML) can be sent to all of those device
types. However, there are a large number of e-mail client software packages.
Trying to create an automatic acknowledgement mechanism for all of those
possible e-mail clients is a daunting task.
3. Mail also means you'll have to consider the lost PO scenario -- receive
an e-mail PO on a laptop or palm computer that is stolen or lost.
For a simple solution, you should consider something like a Web interface
with e-mail notification. Give your customers an account that enables them
to browse to a Web page, log into their account, and download or review
their POs. Send them an e-mail reminder when they have a new PO, but provide
a Web page for browsing and downloading POs. Generate the acknowledgement or
997 from the Web page, not from extensions to e-mail client software. Trying
to do the latter will be a huge undertaking.
================== Ken North =============================
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Ken_North
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Ken North Computing 2604B El Camino Real, #351
Carlsbad, CA 92008-1214 Fax:760-729-5127 Ph:760-757-2362
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