Eric Newcomer

In the early days of business computing, little attention was paid to the concept of sharing application logic and data across multiple machines. The big question faced by an organization was how to develop computer systems to successfully automate previously manual operations such as billing, accounting, payroll, and order management. Solving any one of these individual problems was challenging enough, without considering the possibility of basing all of a company's systems on a common, reusable architecture. With the majority of operational business functions now automated, the next phase of evolution revolves around improving the ability of these systems to meet new requirements. Information technology (IT) departments are adding new user interfaces, combining multiple data sources into a single view, exploring methods for extending applications to mobile device... (more)

So You Want An SOA with Web Services

Imagine, if you will, the following exchange: CIO: You know, I've been reading a lot about this whole service-oriented architecture thing. WebLogic Developer: And...? CIO: It sounds pretty cool, I really think we need one. WebLogic Developer: OK...sure, we'll get right on that. There is no question that service-oriented architecture (SOA) is quickly becoming one of the hottest trends in enterprise computing. IT departments are inundated weekly, if not daily, with the claims and marketing messages of vendors announcing myriad technology and service offerings that will magically trans... (more)

2006 - Is This Going to be The Year of Open-Source Java?

Rumors are already starting about what Sun might be announcing at JavaOne this year -- will they finally agree to open source Java? Bill Roth is among those who think Sun will announce something about a "blended model" - i.e. an open source initiative at the core of their strategy, like what we're doing with Artix and Celtix. Darryl Taft, one of the industry's best reporters, has already said he doesn't care. I have to admit I am not exactly holding my breath, either. Sun has been regularly and consistently challenged to make Java more relevant (e.g. to XML and Web services) and... (more)

WS-CAF: Standardized Web Services Transactions and Composite Applications

The Web Services Composite Application Framework is a collection of three specifications - designed to solve problems that arise when multiple Web services are used in combination ("composite applications") to support information sharing and transaction processing. Web Service Context (WS-CTX) Web Service Coordination Framework (WS-CF) Web Service Transaction Management (WS-TXM) As co-author of the specification, Eric will discuss in this session how WS-CAF addresses the underlying issues of Web service context propagation and transaction management to expand the scope, usability,... (more)

Have We Got It All Backwards with Software Assembly?

Eric Newcomer's Blog I am as guilty of this as anyone else. Back in the 90s I was on a big project to standardize enterprise software. We wrote a few papers about it, and a chapter in a book. We often used the "Henry Ford" analogy, which relates to the impact standards for interchangable parts had on hard goods manufacturing. The Henry Ford analogy says that the hard job in mass assembly is getting the interchangeable parts standardized - thereafter creating the moving assembly line is the easy job. Ford pulled it off with the significant market success of the Model-T and change... (more)