RE: Definition of Web Service

Your comments match pretty closely my expectations of what a Web Service
is.  

I know that getting clear, accurate and delimited definitions is key to
having discussions make sense, so I figured that the definition in the
WS Arch glossary is something that people are working hard to get right.
I'm glad to hear that you are doing that.


-----Original Message-----
From: Cutler, Roger (RogerCutler) [mailto:RogerCutler@chevrontexaco.com]

Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2003 4:23 PM
To: Andrew Layman
Cc: www-ws-arch@w3.org
Subject: RE: Definition of Web Service

I'll give you my personal answer to that question, very much not
representing a consensus of the WG:

In order to be a Web service, as far as I am concerned, a thingie has
to:

1 - Be intended for app<->app interaction.

2 - Have a well defined, stable, interface that tells what information
is passed to the service and what information is returned.

3 - Operate across the Web via standard Web messaging protocols.

A Web page does OK on 3 but is weak on the other two.  It is intended
for human consumption.  The information returned is formatted in a
fairly arbitrary way that may change.  That is, scraping information off
of a Web page that is intended for human consumption is not a robust way
for applications to get information.

Now, if you reply that the page is under version control so it is
absolutely fixed, you might squeek by on 2), but I personally feel that
1, although perhaps a bit hard to objectively quantify, is important.

You may get VASTLY different answers from other members of the WG.  I
speak only for myself here.

In conformance with our WG group charter, seeing nothing of an intensely
personal nature in your posting, I have moved this to the public list.

<Personal>Hi, Andrew.  Long time no see.  How's everything
going?</Personal>

-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Layman [mailto:andrewl@microsoft.com] 
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2003 5:42 PM
To: w3c-ws-arch@w3.org
Subject: Definition of Web Service



Respecting the WS Arch definition of Web Service[1], is the resource
identified by
http://dev.w3.org/cvsweb/~checkout~/2002/ws/arch/glossary/wsa-glossary.h
tml a Web Service?  If not, why not?

Thanks.

[1]
http://dev.w3.org/cvsweb/~checkout~/2002/ws/arch/glossary/wsa-glossary.h
tml#webservice

Received on Thursday, 8 May 2003 21:59:04 UTC