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Re: APIs, messaging

• From: David Brownell <david-b@p...>
• To: "Simon St.Laurent" <simonstl@s...>, xml-dev@l...
• Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 09:04:43 -0700

> Does that seem like a reasonable breakdown of the situation?

Sure.  In the context of distributed systems, I usually call the two
perspectives "tight coupling" and "loose coupling".  Most systems
have elements of each.

Bind tightly to anything (API, class/data structure, ...) and you've
developed a system that needs to react to lots of changes -- fragile,
all components have to change in lockstep.  As Walter implied,
viable only within artificially constrained environments; basically,
where centralized control works.

But if you have a carefully specified framework that works with a
more flexible notion of "type" ... that's the sweet spot, where the
components (organizations ...) can evolve at their own rates.  A
better match, on the whole, for the Real World.

- Dave

• References:
  • RE: Picking the Tools -- Marrying processing models to data model s
    • From: Michael Brennan <Michael_Brennan@a...>
  • APIs, messaging
    • From: "Simon St.Laurent" <simonstl@s...>

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