RE: Nailing down the definition of "Web services" and the scope o fWS A for the document

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Chapman [mailto:martin.chapman@oracle.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 1:25 PM
To: www-ws-arch@w3.org
Subject: RE: Nailing down the definition of "Web services" and the scope o
fWS A for the document


 
 
In an earlier mail Mike suggested:
"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 prescribed by the formal definition, using
standard protocols."

Using this defintion, CORBA objects are web services!  

 

Good point.  We could eliminate this by making XML a more central part of
the definition, but that eliminates some things we do think of as Web
services (such as Roger's case of a software agent PUTing/GETing a JPEG
image from an image catalog lookup servce or an image reformatting service).
We could eliminate this by making "Internet" protocols a more central part
of the definition, but that eliminates SOAP-over-MQ/JMS as "Web services."
Or we could accept that CORBA objects are "generic" Web services, but then
insist on XML and in the definition of "WSA" Web services.   I don't have
any strong feelings ...