Mark Baker wrote: > On 6/14/06, Gregg Wonderly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >>A mixing of words. I was refering to the features that an API provides given >>the amount of interface defined. GET/POST/PUT is the API. The parameters to >>those operations are arbitrary. > > > Thanks for clarifying, but parameters aren't really arbitrary; they're > rarely used on the Web, in fact. That's because most parameters in > RPC styles like SOA are *identifying* information (e.g. "GOOG" in > getStockQuote( "GOOG" )), and in REST, identifying information goes in > the identifier to which the message is targetted. > > In other words, instead of; > > Message destination: http://example.org/stockQuotes/ > Operation: getStockQuote > Parameter: symbol=GOOG > > you use; > > Message destination: http://example.org/stockQuotes/GOOG > Operation: GET > Parameter: None
this is equivalent to a function definition with the parameter "type" unspecified as in public void get( Object parm ); It's that parameter(s) that are arbitrary and uncontrolled in nature, by the API design. A user can provide anything and the application has to be prepared to deal with 'bad' parameters. With a typed language API there is an inherent ability to contrain the users choices, good or bad. But, more specifically, the 'service' can be better prepared to deal with anonomlies. In Java, I only use "String" where I mean something that a person would type which is informational to them, and non-specific to my software. In cases where I need more limited views of choice, I can use other typed values which have far more constraint on their possible representation and use. With REST, the 'parameters' are arbitrary, and limited to String typed value. The document content has different constraints. My argument is still that HTTP is being used as a transport protocol, and the URI is just a service name. Gregg Wonderly ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> You can search right from your browser? It's easy and it's free. See how. http://us.click.yahoo.com/_7bhrC/NGxNAA/yQLSAA/NhFolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/service-orientated-architecture/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
