RE: The future of EDI and XML -- MIDRANGE-L

EDI is not going away guys.  I have not seen a single large EDI hug program
move from EDI to XML, not a single one. If you are Walmart or Sears and have
millions of dollars invested in your EDI systems, what is the business case
for converting to XML?  I see none.  Companies do not make decisions based
on what is the perceived new gee whiz buzzwords and marketing hype.  You
need to build a business case for it.  I do see traditional EDI and XML
living quite nicely side by side.  XML might be the tool to get the "last
mile" of partners who are not EDI enabled to do business electronically.
Send vendor A and EDI PO (ANSI X.12) and send small vendor B and XML PO.
Most of the translators have implemented support for XML (or are doing so),
so basically the X12 or XML is just another map to the translator.  The
translator does not care what format he spits out.  The advantage is using a
single interface point to the application software, and the translator spits
out the format de jour.  Those of you who think that one data format will
replace another are just plain wrong.  (I hope I don't have to eat THOSE
words).  One translator company (unnamed) is really pushing an XML version
of its translator.  They have sunsetted their market leading version
"because we know what the market needs"..... Well, that company, was wrong
and had to continue support of the sunsetted version for at least another
year.... because the market is not screaming out for XML.  I don't see it,
maybe some of you do.
cjg


Carl J. Galgano
EDI Consulting Services, Inc.
550 Kennesaw Avenue, Suite 800
Marietta, GA  30060
(770) 422-2995 - voice
(419) 730-8212 - fax
mailto:cgalgano@ediconsulting.com
http://www.ediconsulting.com
AS400 EDI, Networking, E-Commerce and Communications Consulting and
Implementation
http://www.icecreamovernight.com
Premium Ice Cream Brands shipped Overnight

"You ain't gonna learn what you don't want to know" - rw

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-midrange-l@midrange.com
[mailto:owner-midrange-l@midrange.com]On Behalf Of James W. Kilgore
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2001 5:18 PM
To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
Subject: Re: The future of EDI and XML


Buck,

I agree to a degree.

XML tags will require their own industry specific dictionary and
thesaurus so you can differentiate "ItemCode" from "PartNumber" from
"Component" from "SubAssembly" from "RawMaterial".

XML and EDI are two totally different things.  XML is the format of the
data, although EDI does have formats, EDI is primarily in the business
of guarantied delivery of whatever information (in whatever format) you
push down the pipe.

Buck Calabro wrote:
>
> It's easy to hear "XML will replace old EDI."  I think the more reasonable
> statement is that "People will continue to use EDI and will begin to use
XML
> as their trading partners demand it."  People like us will make money only
> if we know XML...
>
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