[dev] Re: XML/EDI questions

[Vizion]

On Wednesday 25 May 2005 13:46,  the author Vizion contributed to the dialogue 
on Re: [dev] Re: XML/EDI questions:
>
> !I wonder if contributors to this thread would please NOT top post - it
 gets > very confusing -- I have  shifted the last contribution to the bottom
 so > everyone can follow the thread:!
> On Wednesday 25 May 2005 12:30,  the author fbsd_user contributed to the
> dialogue on RE: [dev] Re: XML/EDI questions:
> >
> > On Wednesday 25 May 2005 09:11,  the author Ian G contributed to the
> > dialogue
> > on Re: [dev] Re: XML/EDI questions:
> > > On Wednesday 25 May 2005 17:00, Vizion wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Oh there are now over 300 schemas for EDI's used extensively by
> > large
> > > > corporations for interchange. For example a major disk drive
> > manufacturer
> > > > used it for exchange between both supopliers and distributoes.
> > It used by
> > > > governement and hundreds if not thousands of large corporations.
> > The
> > > > oproblem is you have to pay thousands of dollars to get the
> > information
> > > > and/or off shelve software to benefit from this technology.
> > >
> > > Ah!  That explains why I've never come across it.  I
> > > stand corrected!  Thanks :)
> > >
> > Yep and the thing that really ****** me off is that there is a
> > standard for
> > these things and the only way you can get a copy is by paying $
> > (namny) for
> > it. My idea is there should be an open standard for these things
> > which could
> > be accessible by anyone and be used as a basis for exchange between
> > individuals and small businesses. Perhaps OpenSchemas.org!!
> >
> > david
> >
> > EDI  stands for  electric data interchange.  It been in use by
> > mainframe systems for over 30 years now. Basically its an
> > international standard record format for exchanging purchase orders
> > and shipping information and the like between the suppliers and
> > manufactures in house proprietary applications. Wallmart/Sams stores
> > runs their complete business using it. Other big users is the rubber
> > tire industry and the automobile manufactures Ford, GM, for
> > just-in-time delivery of raw material, as well as the after market
> > auto suppliers. The EDI records format is available to any one who
> > wants to purchase the book from the non-profit organization who
> > maintains the standard. Like $35.00.  There are EDI software
> > providers like GE and Gentran who market mainframe applications that
> > convert the user's proprietary in-house record format to EDI format.
> > In the last 10 years these vendors have rewritten their mainframe
> > EDI application to run on ms/windows PCs. But you are correct in
> > that as far as I know there is no Unix flavored EDI applications out
> > there. EDI is not an server based type of application or for that
> > matter an internet transport user either. EDI utilizes dedicated
> > leased lines for maximum security. Cloning the functionality of one
> > of the ms/windows EDI desktop variety for an FreeBSD desktop version
> > should not be an big task. EDI is a specialized nitch market that
> > demands 24/7 technical support from the vendor as EDI in most cases
> > is mission critical to the company using it. This in its self makes
> > the case for an open source Unix flavored verson a hard sell to the
> > community who may want to use it.
> >
> > Just my 2 cents
> >
> >
> You are right to mention the history of EDI. However this acronym has now
> taken a more generic meaning and includes , for example, UBL which has open
> source java tools and, I have now found out, open source schemas (over 90of
 > them) available. The other thing is that it is no more mission critical
 
>  in the current environment than a web server and indeed is now built into
 web 
> server technology and uses (amongst other things Tomcat, jelly , ocbra
 and 
> other open source products. What is extremely interesting is it
 appears that 
> the  largest take up of this technology appears to be in Hong
 Kong and china 
> and is focused on using open source server systems.
>
> David
> >
>

-- 
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