Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Question about XML-RPC and Microsoft

Author:Micah Alpern
Posted:2/2/1999; 5:23:54 AM
Topic:www.xml-rpc.com
Msg #:2628 (In response to 947)
Prev/Next:2627 / 2629

Dave, I recently read your gentle introdution to XML-RPC. I found it to be a very gentle guild up the initial slope of the learning curve toward grocking the importance of remote procedure calls. I've also heard you say, in both this and other pieces, that Microsoft has finally begun to understand the importance of open cross platform inter-application communication.

So, by agreeing, at least at a philosophic level, that XML-RPC is an important way to go, Microsoft is putting out a big Welcome Mat -- come rule our world, they say. You can control Windows without adopting COM. You can replace an NT machine with any other machine that supports the same interfaces.

My question is, if this this the case (and I truly hope it is) why hasn't Microsoft mentioned it in their anti-trust case? One of the main points of the government's argument is that Microsoft is using its monopolistic control of the operating system market to leverage control of the application market (web browsers, office suits, etc). That is by owning the piping (and keeping is details to themselves) they can leverage control.

However, isn't the concept of remote procedure calls, that the specific implementation is irrelevant and can be easily replaced by another programming language or operating system, antithetical to this argument? It would seem to me that this is a better defense for Microsoft that making vague hand waving about the future threat of Linux.

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