Forum Moderators: phranque
Companies like DataPower are delivering XML processing hardware not only to accelerate time-consuming tasks like XSL transformations and schema validation, but also security- related features like encryption and filtering.
Interesting concept, using hardcoded applications to offload the CPU. Could we expect to see shopping cart functions on a chip or XML appliances geared towards specific uses - like sports broadcasting, stock trading, etc...
XML appliances geared towards specific uses - like sports broadcasting, stock trading, etc.
This is a bit of a stretch to me at this point, follow the money... I think XML is an M$ standard. Until they dominate the server market and/or XML standards stabilize, chips that specific probably won't be cost effective. It could happen though. I have nightmares! ;)
I think XML is an M$ standard.
Hmmm... I don't recall reading that. I know they'd like to be the standard - primarily because they can see the writing on the wall. Not to mention that with the upcoming release of their XDocs product they're hoping to play a lead role in office environment for document management.
I don't doubt, however, that Bill will be crafting every conceivable revenue stream he can by exploiting XML and if that means getting involved with the creation of the standards (which I believe M$ is doing) then yes, they will be able to influence the direction the XML standards take. But XML is not a M$ standard per se. I believe they did, however, standardize one or more of the services built upon XML (SOAP?).
I think XML is an M$ standard.Probably a bad assumption on my part since I know little about XML beyond discussions you've initiated on the board.
My assumption is based on unpleasent experiences converting Excel 2K spreadsheets to HTML and needing to purge the automatically included XML to insure reasonable file size. I could probably tell Excel not to include XML but it's more trouble than it's worth to figure out how, since I build pages from spreadsheets infrequently.
Thanks for the correction! :)
Probably a bad assumption on my part since I know little about XML beyond discussions you've initiated...
And you think I know XML well?! ;)
There was a good article [propylon.com] about this subject last year written for ITWorld by Sean McGrath.
Some feel that XSL is a dreadful transformation technology in many respects, with built in volume performance issues and a crippling programming model. The facts of the matter are that XSLT was never intended to be used as a general purpose XML transformation technology. It was, unfortunately, "positioned" as such by the market.
... but the fear is that they will be sold to organisations that could have saved money with a little bit of sensible XML design and a little healthy skepticism about "standards".
That makes sense but I hope it doesn't delay the development.
I think the strength of the idea lies in web services like XML-RPC, SOAP, and WDDX. An embedded processor strictly dedicated to handling data requests of a certain class (like mathematical calculations based on XML data or generating dynamic images) is where this technology could really help save on server load. Imagine a simple appliance in the form of a router. Any requests coming in on the router's IP and it automatically executes the procedure embedded within it. Sure it still has to call the data from a server (could be a web or data server behind a firewall) but the actual number crunching would be done by the appliance.
