On 05/07/06, Dan Creswell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Jan Algermissen wrote: > > On Jul 5, 2006, at 11:09 AM, Steve Jones wrote: > > > >> Which was the bit I'm trying to get across in saying that SOAP v REST > >> is a pointless debate. The consumer of the service cares only about > >> what happens, not about the mechanism to achieve it. I'm not arguing > >> that REST is wrong and should never be used, just that its not > >> actually important enough to argue over the bit in between. > > > > Are you saying that software architectural differences are pointless? > > > > > In the context of engineering and the purity of such discussions, no > they aren't pointless. > > I'm not entirely sure cos most of my discussions with Steve are > accompanied by beer but I suspect he might be viewing this from the > context of tangible business benefit. > > Tangible business benefit comes in two basic forms: > > (1) Internal - cost reduction etc > > (2) External - Benefit to customers - increased functionality, more > rapid response to requirements > > Category (2) is something customers will pay for, (1) is not and tends > to be about the law of diminishing returns. > > Measurement of (2) is done via looking at the bottom line. > > Measurement of (1) is that much more difficult to quantify - maybe > you're paying less for licenses but developer hours have gone up and as > you don't pay developers by the hour (they're a fixed cost) you could > consider that a cost saving but unfortunately, your developers are more > tired so the stuff they turn out is of lower quality and slows down > delivery cycles which costs your bottom line. > > So in the context of gaining tangible business benefit, REST vs SOAP is > nowhere and therefore "pointless". You might be able to make some claim > in respect of category (1) but it's going to be difficult to prove and > I've seen very little of how REST vs SOAP means anything in respect of > category (2). > > IT pushing SOA at the tech level (it's about service interfaces etc) as > the next "silver bullet" is also running into this sort of issue hence > some are focused on "business alignment with IT" which has nothing to do > with technology per se. > > Anywhere near Steve?
Spot on, and as ever you've made it miles clearer than I could put it. > > Dan. > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> See what's inside the new Yahoo! Groups email. http://us.click.yahoo.com/2pRQfA/bOaOAA/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/
