Alternatives to browsers (was Re: Alternatives to the W3C)

[Miles Sabin]

David Hunter wrote,
> As am I.  And it's exactly the combination of XML and HTTP 
> which, to me, makes the browser unnecessary in many 
> situations.  If I can just put some kind of application on the 
> client, whether it be written in Java, or Visual Basic, or 
> C++, and have that application communicate with my servers via 
> XML and HTTP, I get all of the benefits of using the Internet 
> (or an Intranet or an Extranet, or any of the other names I 
> can't keep up with), PLUS, I get all of the advantages of 
> splitting my processing intelligently between server and 
> client.

I'm having trouble seeing why XML over HTTP is preferable to
eg. CORBA or Java RMI (maybe tunneled through HTTP if there's
a need to traverse firewalls) for application specific comms.
How is application specific markup better than an application
specific binary wire protocol?

Cheers,


Miles

-- 
Miles Sabin                       Cromwell Media
Internet Systems Architect        5/6 Glenthorne Mews
+44 (0)20 8817 4030               London, W6 0LJ, England
msabin at cromwellmedia.com          http://www.cromwellmedia.com/


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