RE: Some proposed definitions of "web service" based on the call toda y

I don't like the first one, even with "capable of".  That's because I
think that ebXML are clearly Web services, and as I understand it
CPP/CPA is more general than WSDL 1.2.    That is, the interfaces
described in ebXML have features that cannot be described in WSDL.

-----Original Message-----
From: Champion, Mike [mailto:Mike.Champion@SoftwareAG-USA.com] 
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 4:36 PM
To: www-ws-arch@w3.org
Subject: Some proposed definitions of "web service" based on the call
toda y



Whew, that was fun :-(  Although it got better when we stumbled on the
"instant straw poll in IRC" idea; we should do that more often.  I'd say
that in general, anyone who has the "floor" in the speaker queue may
propose one of those by typing the question into IRC; those not on IRC
can ask to have their vote recorded by someone who is.

Let me throw out some proposals that reflect the various opinions I
heard today; without my co-chair hat on, I could live with either of
them:

========================================================================
===
The term "web service" is used in a wide variety of ways by different
people, and we will not presume that the definition used here is
consistent with all of them.  Nevertheless, for the purposes of this
document, we will use the term to mean the following: A Web service is
[an interface to ?] an executable software agent that is designed to be
used by another software agent.  A Web service is identified by a URI,
and MUST be [capable of being ?] formally defined in WSDL 1.2.  A
software agent interacts with an  Web service in the manner prescribed
by the formal definition, using the XML Infoset and processing model
defined by SOAP 1.2.

[Chris said some things about SOAP being general enough to describe any
reasonable "web service" interaction that I didn't capture very well ...
maybe he can refresh my memory.]

========================================================================
==

The term "web service" is used in a wide variety of ways by different
people, but there is a rough consensus along the following lines: A Web
service is an interface to an executable software agent that is designed
to be used by another software agent.  A Web service is identified by a
URI, and has a definition in a language sufficient to describe the
interface to developers of client agents. A software agent interacts
with a Web service in the manner that is consistent with the
description, using standard protocols. 

That definition of "web service" is not sufficiently precise or rigorous
for architectural purposes, however.  We will use a more restrictive
term to describe the scope of the architecture described here:
"Extensible XML Web
Services", abbreviated XWS.   the purposes of this document, we will use
the
term to mean the following: An XWS is an interface to an executable
software agent that is designed to be used by another software agent.
An XWS is identified by a URI, and MUST be capable of being formally
defined in WSDL 1.2.  A software agent interacts with an  Web service in
the manner prescribed by the formal definition, using the XML Infoset
and processing model defined by SOAP 1.2."

["XWS" is essentially a placeholder for some term ... I don't care what
it is, but it must specifically describe the "MUST" constraints
specified by the WSA.]

========================================================================
==
Of course, improved definitions are solicited.

Received on Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:38:46 UTC