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Re: [ontolog-forum] The Open Group SOA Ontology

To: sowa@xxxxxxxxxxx, "[ontolog-forum] " <ontolog-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: c.harding@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
From: Ken Laskey <klaskey@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:15:22 -0400
Message-id: <58078468-DF18-451B-97FE-4866B964B2DB@xxxxxxxxx>
I have yet to read the document, so any comments come from my  
experience working on other SOA efforts, most notably the reference  
model work under OASIS.    (01)

I find it useful to differentiate between a business service and a SOA  
service.  Business services are described in the more traditional  
sense of providing a business function, yes with predictable business  
outcomes, i.e. real world effects.  A SOA service is an IT artifact  
that *may* be an effective way to realize that business function.   
Conversely, SOA will be inappropriate and have no role in certain  
business functions.    (02)

Whether the service itself is "a logical representation" or there  
SHOULD be a logical representation of a service is a point for  
discussion; I would lean more to the latter.  The business service  
should indeed be repeatable because otherwise you appear to be dealing  
with randomness where you really want some certainty.  If I bring my  
clothes to the cleaners, I expect my clothes to be returned clean, not  
someone else's clothes, not the clothes still soiled, not a pound of  
corned beef instead.    (03)

I look forward to spending some dedicated time processing this  
document but not quite sure when.    (04)

Ken    (05)

On Jul 15, 2008, at 10:37 PM, John F. Sowa wrote:    (06)

> I endorse Azamat's questions:
>
> AA> ... how should one take this basic definition: "a service
>> is a logical representation of a repeatable business activity
>> that has a specified outcome."  Why is its genus "a logical
>> representation"?
>
> If I need some service, I want somebody or something to do
> something.  I don't want a statement in logic (unless my
> request happened to be for a copy of some formula).
>
> AA> ... Again, why is its differentia chosen as "a repeatable
>> business activity that has a specified outcome".
>
> Why must a service be repeatable?  Many needs are unique.
> And why must it be a business activity?
>
> What does it mean for the outcome to be "specified"?
> Does that mean "specified in advance"?  But what about
> emergency services that respond to unpredictable events?
>
> John Sowa
>
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ken Laskey
MITRE Corporation, M/S H305      phone: 703-983-7934
7515 Colshire Drive                         fax:       703-983-1379
McLean VA 22102-7508    (08)

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