Noel W. Clarke

I believe that Web services may make the long-standing battle of open source software (OSS) versus closed source software (CSS) almost irrelevant. What!, you cry in incredulity. He can't mean that! How can he discount the efforts and thinking of some of the world's most brilliant programmers? However, before you blast out a scathing e-mail flaming me to a crisp, listen to my reasons, then decide if you don't agree with me. The Middle-Mile Solution Recently I've come to think of Web services as a "Middle-Mile" solution. To understand why, it's helpful to look at a simple example - the steaming cup of tea on my desk. The essential players in getting my tea in the morning are the grower/manufacturer, the distributor, the local store, and, of course, me - the end user. The transportation of the tea leaves or "raw goods" from the manufacturer to the distributor is the fig... (more)