At 02:20 PM 3/2/2001 +0000, Francis Cave wrote:
>What Steve and many others fail to make clear (I'm not suggesting that they
>don't actually understand it, as I presume they wouldn't be writing about
>XML at all if they didn't) is that what they are talking about is NOT XML
>ITSELF, but is a particular set of standardization activities that are using
>XML as a technological building block.
Yes, Francis, you are absolutely correct. XML itself is a very useful
technology. It's usage on web pages makes the web much more searchable. It
gives us a smarter internet. There are many other fine uses.
My criticisms are based on the false promises regarding what XML is
supposedly going to do for the electronic exchange of Business Objects
between companies. I do consider the work that ebXML and UDDL are doing is
excellent and on track and will be vitally useful as standards defining
technical and business protocols for the exchange of such objects over the
internet. I foresee this as an emerging standard that can be supported
world-wide because it deals with an area that can be universal i.e. the
transport of electronic messages.
It is what is inside the package that is sent that is the problem with
"standards" because it can't be universal. This piece inside is the
payload, aka business object, aka transaction. Whether this payload is in
XML, X12, EDIFACT, etc., there are business issues forcing the
diversification of the business object standards and these are not at all
solved with XML nor can they be. What X12 and EDIFACT failed to solve in
this regard, XML is already failing to in an even bigger way. I am already
seeing this in XML/EDI projects that I am personally aware of.
It is a very difficult thing to come to understand why standard business
objects that can be universally accepted are so impossible to form, but it
is true. I spent years believing the EDI hype that it could be done. It
took me years of EDI work to finally come to the understanding of why it
isn't done nor will it be done any time soon.
So I know how difficult it is for some people to come to that
understanding. It really seems like we should be able to have such
universal business object standards. The truth is that as long as we have
competition, there will be diverse standards because of the need to one up
the competition. You can say, wait a minute Steve, in X12 we have a
standard 850 Purchase Order. Oh, do we? There are so many "optional"
segments and elements that different Trading Partners agree they must use
in varying combinations, we are back in the non-standard soup
again. RosettaNet tried to "solve" this by making most of their fields
mandantory. Then when partners had no use for a field they put in "XXXXXX"
just to fill it. What a mess.
You see, XML, X12 and EDIFACT are not tools that could fix this. It is
like doing mechanic work on a car using a toothbrush. You see, wrong
tool. When you are fighting cavities a toothbrush is a wonderful tool. We
all need to clearly see the real problem and then select the right tools.
(P.S. don't forget to floss! :))
False promises eventually cause a loss of consumer confidence which is what
the Nasdaq is now reflecting. IT is losing favor with Business for the
very reason of false promises. And false promises about XML/EDI is a part
of that confidence drop. That means you and I and the rest of IT share a
responsibility for this.
We in IT need to tell our customers (i.e. the companies that we are
employed by or contract to) the truth. Instead we too easily jump up and
down about the next cool thing and get our companies involved because we
want to put this cool new stuff whatever it is on our resumes. Instead we
need to keep in mind the ROI of the company. That company is paying your
salary or contract. You need to ensure that there really is a long term
payback for them. Then they can afford to keep paying you. (This is how
money works, in case you weren't sure).
So if you are looking for someone to blame why you stock options have all
gone to hell, don't forget to peek in the mirror.
Regards,
Steve Bollinger
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