[thelist] XML

Warden, Matt mwarden at odyssey-design.com
Mon Feb 12 15:02:15 CST 2001


> The real deal with XML is this:Separation of content from presentation.
> Having one souce of data and being able to display it in different formats
> for Web Browser, Parlm Pilot, Cel Phone, WebTV and perhaps even your
> refrigerator.

*shrug*

While this is cool, I really don't think it's the best use of XML. The biggest
problem people have with realizing the uses of XML is to "get their heads out
of the box", where presentation really isn't an issue. IMO, the best use of
XML has nothing to do with presentation, but rather transportation (you
touched on this a bit with the mention of the refrigerator). It's pretty damn
hard to transfer a document (purchase order, blah, blah, blah) securely (email
doesn't cut it) and automatically. Using a pull model, orders can be stored as
XML and retrieved/processed automatically. And all of that data can
*automatically* get sent down the order processing line (first to the billing
people, who click a few buttons; then to the shipping people, who click a few
more buttons; and finally to the customer service people (tho, this really
should be in the hands of the CSRs the entire time); ).  All this saves manual
work, and therefore less employees are needed... and then there are less
expenses and everyone is happy.

Or even better, a Burger King has an automatic inventory system where each
time a burger is ordered, the 1 bun, 1 patty, 1 slice of cheese, etc. are
subtracted from inventory. And if anything gets below X quantity, then an
order is automatically placed with the local supplier:

<order>
    <item>
        <code>bun123A</code>
        <qauntity>20</quantity>
        <unit>8PACK</unit>
    </item>
    ...
</order>

When the shipment comes in, the supplier clicks a single button saying "I was
here" and 8PACKs of bun123A inventory is increased by 20. So now, the only
interaction is the supplier shipping the items and clicking a button (and
maybe some other stuff if the supplier only has 19 available to ship, etc.).

There are many other examples, especially in the B2B2C arena (for those
acronimically-challenged [yes, i made that up], that's
Business-to-Business-to-Consumer -- in other words, a customer orders from a
middle man who orders from one or many suppliers).

Shall I go on...



--
mattwarden
mattwarden.com





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