[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message] RE: What are web services ?
Although no single, authoritative definition exists for basic terms like "service" and "Web Service", here are some fundamental characteristics that some folks believe that anything described as a "Web Service" should possess: (1) Can interact with it through the WWW; (2) Platform- and programming language-agnostic; (3) Interface & invocation requirements are well-described; (4) XML-encoded interaction mechanism; (5) Payload most often is XML; (6) Loose coupling between invoker and Web Service; (7) Performs a specific, well-defined function; (8) May invoke other Web Services; (9) Standards-based; (10) Has the ability to perform its functionality synchronously or asynchronously, as needed; (i.e. does not use synchronous interaction when asynchronous is best, and vice-versa); Joe Joseph Chiusano Booz Allen Hamilton Visit us online@ http://www.boozallen.com > -----Original Message----- > From: Chiusano Joseph > Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 7:02 AM > To: 'Paul Downey'; Rex Brooks > Cc: xml-dev@l...; Michael Kay; 'Razvan MIHAIU' > Subject: RE: What are web services ? > > Although no single, authoritative definition exists for basic > terms like "service" and "Web Service", here are some > fundamental characteristics that some folks believe that > anything described as a "Web Service" should possess: > > (1) Can interact with it through the WWW; > (2) Platform- and programming language-agnostic; > (3) Interface & invocation requirements are well-described; > (4) XML-encoded interaction mechanism; > (5) Payload most often is XML; > (6) Loose coupling between invoker and Web Service; > (7) Performs a specific, well-defined function; > (8) May invoke other Web Services; > (9) Standards-based; > (10) Has the ability to perform its functionality > synchronously or asynchronously, as needed; (i.e. does not > use synchronous interaction when asynchronous is best, and > vice-versa); > > Joe > > Joseph Chiusano > Booz Allen Hamilton > Visit us online@ http://www.boozallen.com > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Paul Downey [mailto:paul.downey@w...] > > Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 2:26 AM > > To: Rex Brooks > > Cc: xml-dev@l...; Michael Kay; 'Razvan MIHAIU' > > Subject: Re: What are web services ? > > > > Rex, > > > > I actually think Michael's answer was bang on target. You > only have to > > look at the archives of the W3C Web Services Architecture Working > > Group to see the difficulties involved when trying to gain > consensus > > on the definition for basic terms like "Service". > > > > > since it is almost guaranteed that the future of > computing will be > > > dominated by the paradigms being developed in this field. > > > > How far into the future are we talking, here? > > The whole of computing, guaranteed, really? > > > > Web services do have some significant vendor backing, but > still have > > some real political and technical issues and so much to prove. The > > potential to reach the 'Web' > > vision for services remains, but is likely to be somewhat > different to > > the tower of Babel currently being battled for. > > > > As someone wise said recently (i wish i could remember who): > > the future is often out there in the long grass, where no-one is > > watching. > > > > Paul > > > > > > > > > While this is true for the perpetual world of con artists and > > > grifters, and those on whom they prey, and for the equally > > perpetual > > > professional gadflies whose avocation appears to be to > puncture the > > > also perpetual puffed up human egotists who appear to be born > > > "experts" on just about everything and whose love of their > > own voices > > > vocally or verbally seems to know no bounds. > > > > > > However, there is a growing body of standards and practices > > for both > > > loosely coupled but well-bound WSDL and SOAP based web > services AND > > > RESTful web services based largely on structural > > capabilities inherent > > > in the current and future Web Services Architecture > > promulgated by the > > > W3C. > > > > > > Please be aware when you toss out the makings for new > > assaults in this > > > permathread that asking for or providing short answers for how to > > > build, publish service descriptions, establish reliable > connections > > > for web service consumers and transact reliable, secure > web service > > > operations to deliver valuable, cost-worthy functionalities > > over the > > > web is not wise and most likely to produce poor definitions > > and wider > > > misinformation than we already have. > > > > > > Since I have been working for three and half years in the > > OASIS WSRP > > > TC and for the last few months in the newly formed SOA > > Reference Model > > > TC, I can vouch for how difficult it is to develop sound, > reliable > > > specifications, definitions and practices for this arena, > > especially > > > since it is almost guaranteed that the future of > computing will be > > > dominated by the paradigms being developed in this field. > > > > > > Like it or lump it, you will be dealing with it, so spit > > into the wind > > > at your own risk. However, it is always tremendous fun to > > watch while > > > pedants and gurus expound on these topics. > > > > > > My own position is to attempt to help shape this new > > technology into > > > more workable pathways and learn it from the inside out > while it is > > > possible to do so. Three years ago it was almost pure hype > > with a tiny > > > proportion of real work and a few major vendors vying to > "own" this > > > space. Now it is due to become, in the world of public > > perception, > > > the province of equally perpetual gurus who have an almost > > > irresistible compulsion to evangelize in these early stages of > > > development and who tend to become "bleeding deacons" > decrying the > > > loss of true vision and purpose as what they consider their > > > brainchildren develop their own lifecycles apart from the > > > predilections of early adopters and true believers alike. > > > > > > This opinion is based on observing similar processes over > > the course > > > of the last 30 years of tech development.. > > > > > > Ciao, > > > Rex > > > > > > At 10:29 AM +0100 5/30/05, Michael Kay wrote: > > >> OK, here's my answer. The term "web service" means anything the > > >> speaker wants it to mean. Like "service oriented > architecture" or > > >> "native XML database" or "electronic business" it's a > > fuzzy term that > > >> different people will define in different ways, > depending on what > > >> they are trying to sell you.Michael Kayhttp://www.saxonica.com/ > > >>> From: Razvan MIHAIU [mailto:mihaiu@m...] > > >>> Sent: 29 May 2005 17:43 > > >>> To: xml-dev@l... > > >>> Subject: Re: What are web services ? > > >>> > > >>> This is not that much off-topic. Please make the > courage to > > >>> answer :-( > > >>>> Hi, > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >>>> Were can I find a good definition of this ? A web > > >>>> service must be based on SOAP in order to belong in this > > category ? > > >>>> A web service must use XML for transferring data (like > > SOAP) ? Can > > >>>> we have web services without WSDL and UDDI ? > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >>>> Regards, > > >>>> Razvan > > >>>> -- > > >>>> Regards, > > >>>> Razvan > > >>>> > > >>>> SCJP preparation material: > > >>>> > > >>>> www..mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035/index.html > > >>>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test1/index.html > > >>>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test2/index.html > > >>>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test3/ > > >>>> index.htmlwww.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test4/ > > >>>> index.html > > >>>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> -- > > >>> Regards, > > >>> Razvan > > >>> > > >>> SCJP preparation material: > > >>> > > >>> www..mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035/index.html > > >>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test1/index.html > > >>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test2/index.html > > >>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test3/index.html > > >>> www.mihaiu.name/2004/sun_java_scjp_310_035_test4/index.html > > > > > > -- > > > > > > > > > Rex Brooks > > > President, CEO > > > Starbourne Communications Design > > > GeoAddress: 1361-A Addison > > > Berkeley, CA 94702 > > > Tel: 510-849-2309 > > > > > -- > > http://blog.whatfettle.com > > > > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > The xml-dev list is sponsored by XML.org <http://www.xml.org>, an > > initiative of OASIS <http://www.oasis-open.org> > > > > The list archives are at http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/ > > > > To subscribe or unsubscribe from this list use the subscription > > manager: <http://www.oasis-open.org/mlmanage/index.php> > > > >
|
PURCHASE STYLUS STUDIO ONLINE TODAY!Purchasing Stylus Studio from our online shop is Easy, Secure and Value Priced! Download The World's Best XML IDE!Accelerate XML development with our award-winning XML IDE - Download a free trial today! Subscribe in XML format
|