Amen. I could not have said it better.
There was a purpose and a reason behind the development of EDI over two decades
ago,
and that purpose and reason still stands strong today. And that is to have a
standard
(of course there are those out there that believe theirs is the only way type
standard)
that can be used for sending and receiving documents computer to computer, no
matter
what the other computer is or what platform it runs on. The EDI data should
remain in
tact regardless of the transport used to move the data. It should not have to
be manipulated
again to fit into another language. How many times do we want to reinvent the
wheel. Round is good.
What ever happened to the KISS theory (of course this makes an assumption that
EDI is simple).
Now that I that I have said my piece, I have done enough preaching for today.
"Hurd, Richard A (Rich)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> on 04/18/2000 07:04:57 AM
Please respond to "Hurd, Richard A (Rich)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
cc: (bcc: D'Anne Weitzman/ecbridges.com)
Subject: Re: Retrieve files from website unattended (Also Dismay)
> ----------
> From: Michael Mattias[SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>
> Now, I have noticed the "Dismay" thread spring to life - and grow. EDI has
> nothing to do with the specific delivery mode - that is, the files
> exchanged
> by partners may be what we think of as "traditional" EDI where sender and
> receiver use a third party VAN. However, I think the only requirement we
> might impose on "what we would call EDI" would be that it is possible to
> go
> computer-to-computer without human intervention; and it "appears" this is
> doable with maybe a little bit of flexibility by the "800 pound gorilla."
> (Yes, I am trying out my FTP argument for the client's partner here, but
> what the heck.)
>
I will be the first (as the author of the "Dismay" thread) to stipulate that
delivery mode doesn't make or break EDI. Indeed, my department has the
temerity to be punching a hole through our firewall to establish a VPN with
a trading partner to FTP data back 'n forth. (Yes, Corporate Security is
watching us VERY closely. I already have my cardboard box in case
something should go wrong and somebody finds out about the aliens giving
Lucent the transistor technology at Area 51. -oops! Never mind...)
However, it's traditional EDI data, none of this fancy newfangled web stuff.
Yet. (XML and the bleeding edge web transactions have their champions here,
too.)
I remain unconvinced that XML or web access solve any business issues
extant, nor has anyone ever explained how they are going to do this magic.
I was employed at a firm once where we went through this same exercise with
database products. In the IT group we called it sourly "Silver-bullet
weenieism."
The first time I read about XML I was amused. Oh boy, another framework
that needs to have standard implemented on top of it. Deja vu all over
again. However, the first time I read about screen scraping (or
"electronic rip and read") I just recoiled in horror. Let's just bring back
the old 3270 terminals and punch tape while we're at it!
To my mind EDI is (according to one of the pithiest definitions I have read)
"The direct computer to computer exchange of standard formatted business
transactions between one or more trading partners." (Thanks to Trans-Man
Logistics for having this on their web site.)
This means that as far as I'm concerned, you can send the data via VAN,
email, FTP, or two coffee cans and a damp piece of string. But to meet my
litmus test for EDI, it had better be a standard formatted business
transaction that doesn't require human intervention. Although there is
human intervention involved in setting up an EDI transaction, I have
production transactions (X12 and EDIFACT) that have been running for years
with no errors. I would lay serious money against that happening with
screen scraping a web site, or sending XML data without a framework to
constrain it.
Please, if I'm wrong, I'll admit it. I just switched to an Internet bank
for my personal banking. I use online bill paying. My wife and I even
print out our own paper checks with VersaCheck. I'm not a Luddite, really
I'm not. I like technology. Sane, reasonable technology that addresses a
need. I just don't see right now how these technologies fill any current
needs that we in the EDI community have and I'm worried that TPTB are going
to ask us to throw out the baby with the bath water.
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