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[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message] XML, MicroSoft, Torquemada and Comics (was RE: XML in .NET - more thanju
 Hmm, maybe an adolescense spent reading SciFi comics wasn't wasted after all. It seems the philosophy presented the story of Nemesis and Torquemada II (who incidentally was apparently future incarnation of the original anyway, and whose other incarnations included Hitler) is actually quite relevent to discribing the interaction of XML and MicroSoft. Torquemada (like his medieval namesake) is a force for conformity and order. He is presented as an evil despot who controls the human race. He is the 'hate villian' of the story. Nemesis is a strange alien creature with a horned and hoofed 'diabolic' appearance, with strange powers and chaotic and unpredictable ways. Although the main protagonist, and opponant of the 'hate villian', Nemesis is not himself the hero (there is none). He is merely the balancing force and in his own way just as evil. Now in general computing terms, MicroSoft can be likened to Torquemada, because they are increasingly attempting to control the entire computing world (and lets face it, how many of us do not rely on atleast one MicroSoft product?). Bill Gates has said it would be much easier if there was just one company. In other words he wants everyone to conform to the MicroSoft ideal. Those who refuse to conform are not physically harmed, but MicroSoft do attempt to erradicate all competition so that your non-MicroSoft products will no longer be supported. In MicroSofts eyes, rival companies are the Nemesis', the unpredictable and impure aliens that threaten to currupt the computing world. Users of rival products are considered 'deviants' (well okay, maybe or maybe not in quite so many words). But what about XML? Where does it fit in? XML is a new standard. In a sense it has its own purity and sense of deviance. MicroSoft have not yet fully complied to XML, and so their efforts are considered 'deviant'. This is why 'BE PURE, BE VIGILANT, BEHAVE' is a good moto for the XML community. (Even if it is a quote from a fictional evil dictator) BE PURE XML will become devalued and meaningless (although not useless) unless everyone sticks to pure XML. If the goal of XML is to improve the intercommunication of products within the computing world then it will only work if the rules are followed. BE VIGILANT Attempts to deviate from the pure specification will be made at various times. Especially when XML is still new and not fully implemented across all apps and platforms. MicroSoft in these terms can be considered the biggest threat to conformity, especially in a stage where they have only half implemented XML into their products. I think we need to respond in a way that both encourages MicroSoft to continue in their progress towards full implementation whilst simultaneous put preassure on them to understand that the semi-implementation is unnacceptable. If they begin to lag behind the rest of the market then its probably time for a sterner approach and a blanket boycott of their products. BEHAVE We must work together, creating mutually accepted XML standards. We must encourage companies to not only use XML, but create universal XML standards between similar applications. To use Joshua's Catholic analogy, MicroSoft are the Roman Catholic company, claiming to be the one true standard all must follow. XML is a bit like Unitarian Universalism, or Agnosticism, in that it provides a technology of belief that allows all of the Religions (Companies) to define their belief structures in ways that allow them to intercommunicate. Er... Have I been going on a bit? Anton 101Media Ltd http://www.101ltd.com > -----Original Message----- > From: Sebastian Rahtz > [SMTP:sebastian.rahtz@c...] > Sent: 27 July 2000 09:10 > To: joshuaa@m... > Cc: xml-dev@l... > Subject: RE: XML in .NET - more than just SOAP? > > Joshua Allen writes: > > > > different Torquemada. yours was real, this was in a comic > > > > Are we talking about the Torquemada who organized the > > torture and burning at stake of anyone who strayed in the > > slightest bit from the liturgical dogma of the Catholic > > specifications? Especially those people who claimed to > > follow the dogma but had previous religions that might > > taint their adherence to the new specs? > > good try, but no, not the same Torquemada. check out back copies of a > comic called "2000 AD" from the early to mid 80s. > > can I just say (seriously) that the way you join in on on this list > *does* do good for Microsoft? > > sebastian 
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