-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: Simon St.Laurent [mailto:simonstl@[...].com]
> 
>  > Fielding quoted:
>  >
>  "What makes HTTP significantly different from RPC is that the
>  requests are directed to resources using a generic interface 
>  with standard semantics that can be interpreted by 
>  intermediaries almost as well as by the machines that 
>  originate services."
>  
>  That's called redefining something in order to prove that you
>  are not it.  It's a nice rhetorical trick, and useful with 
>  people who already believe your definitions, but I don't 
>  think Fielding escapes all claims that the HTTP protocol is 
>  itself RPC.

Surely what makes HTTP different from RPC is that HTTP is a
networking protocol, RPC is a moniker which describes a style of
network computing. Another way of saying this is that the HTT
protocol is a linguistic abstraction for enabling and framing the
distribution of hypertext. RPC identifies a pattern or style for
distributed computing but is not itself a language for computing.
Sorry to be a pedant, but RPC and HTTP are as apples to oranges. 

The controversial matters seem to be 1) whether this HTTP language
has interesting utility beyond distributed hypertext; if so, how to
evolve the language? 2) whether the RPC style of distributed
computing is limiting our ability to solve problems; if so what
styles are appropriate? 

Bill de hÓra



-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: PGP 7.0.4

iQA/AwUBPHzxVOaWiFwg2CH4EQJezACfQWQcUN6nEYkp9l95IzIexbf4xhMAn3zn
4/fv9l7jUSyomZ9Yfy43H3KG
=43Vx
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----


-----------------------------------------------------------------
The xml-dev list is sponsored by XML.org <http://www.xml.org> , an
initiative of OASIS <http://www.oasis-open.org> 

The list archives are at http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this list use the subscription
manager: <http://lists.xml.org/ob/adm.pl>