[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message]

RE: MS thinks HTTP Needs Replacing???

• To: <xml-dev@l...>
• Subject: RE: MS thinks HTTP Needs Replacing???
• From: Bill de hÓra <dehora@e...>
• Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 15:02:05 -0000
• Importance: Normal
• In-reply-to: <1014756955.2262.31.camel@l...>

 
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Simon St.Laurent [mailto:simonstl@s...]
>
> > Fielding quoted:
> >
> "What makes HTTP significantly different from RPC is that the
> requests are directed to resources using a generic interface 
> with standard semantics that can be interpreted by 
> intermediaries almost as well as by the machines that 
> originate services."
> 
> That's called redefining something in order to prove that you
> are not it.  It's a nice rhetorical trick, and useful with 
> people who already believe your definitions, but I don't 
> think Fielding escapes all claims that the HTTP protocol is 
> itself RPC.

Surely what makes HTTP different from RPC is that HTTP is a
networking protocol, RPC is a moniker which describes a style of
network computing. Another way of saying this is that the HTT
protocol is a linguistic abstraction for enabling and framing the
distribution of hypertext. RPC identifies a pattern or style for
distributed computing but is not itself a language for computing.
Sorry to be a pedant, but RPC and HTTP are as apples to oranges. 

The controversial matters seem to be 1) whether this HTTP language
has interesting utility beyond distributed hypertext; if so, how to
evolve the language? 2) whether the RPC style of distributed
computing is limiting our ability to solve problems; if so what
styles are appropriate? 

Bill de hÓra



-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: PGP 7.0.4

iQA/AwUBPHzxVOaWiFwg2CH4EQJezACfQWQcUN6nEYkp9l95IzIexbf4xhMAn3zn
4/fv9l7jUSyomZ9Yfy43H3KG
=43Vx
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: MS thinks HTTP Needs Replacing???
    • From: Mark Baker <distobj@a...>
  • RE: MS thinks HTTP Needs Replacing???
    • From: "Simon St.Laurent" <simonstl@s...>

• References:
  • RE: MS thinks HTTP Needs Replacing???
    • From: "Simon St.Laurent" <simonstl@s...>

• Prev by Date: RE: HTTPEctomy considered bad (was RE: RE: MS thinks HTTP Needs Replacing???)
• Next by Date: RE: MS thinks HTTP Needs Replacing???
• Previous by thread: Re: MS thinks HTTP Needs Replacing???
• Next by thread: RE: MS thinks HTTP Needs Replacing???
• Index(es):
  • Date
  • Thread