Re: ODBC (was RE: Green screen - it's time is over )

> This is just a theory, of course.  But, IMV, SOAP is still just
a theory.


Therses dozens of books and a couple of magazines out on SOAP,
it's here to stay in some format.


> And that theory, the theory behind "web-services" as I
understand it, calls
> for renting web-services.  Seems to call for data to be sent to
servers, and
> results to be returned.  If that's the theory, I don't like it.
I hardly
> have a clear understanding of SOAP, to say however.

The idea is you have a universal directory of available services,
then when you look up a service there is another directory that
tells you how to call it with XML.

It's not just for renting web services (simple example - online
calendar), it's also a kind of alternative to EDI with a little
bit of eBay added in. You business makes widgets. You offer your
product catalogue thru a SOAP interface, and anyone can find you,
pull up your product catalogue, and perhaps even order - while
comparing you to the other online offers available as web
services.

It will be business to business mostly, at least to start.

There's already resistance - you are publishing your prices and no
catalog listing can really show why you are great. It cuts out
salespeople for good or bad, and creates terriffic downward
pressures on pricing.

However, if you don't have it, part of your business may just go
away.

Mad scramble ensues.