B2B Integration : A Practical Guide to Collaborative E-commerce

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human-readable and machine-processable vocabularies designed to
encourage the reuse and extension of metadata semantics among
disparate information communities. The structural constraints RDF imposes
to support the consistent encoding and exchange of standardized
metadata provide for the interchangeabiUty of separate packages of
metadata defined by different resource description communities.
RDF integrates a variety of Web-based metadata activities including
sitemaps, content ratings, stream channel definitions, search engine data
collection (Web crawling), digital library collections and distributed
authoring, using XML as an interchange syntax. RDF with digital
signatures will be key to building the 'Web of Trust' for electronic
commerce, collaboration and other applications.
Source: www.w3.org/RDF
6.4.9. Advantages of XML over traditional EDI
Following are the advantages of XML over the traditional EDI:
• Frees companies from the use of specific vendor software — With
XML, companies can integrate business processes with their trading
partners without having to use specific vendor software required for
EDI.
• Flexible standards — XML is based on simple, flexible and open
standards, while EDI standards are very strict and inflexible. As a
result, companies are able to automate the exchange of business
information, dramatically improve efficiencies and reduce operating
costs with the use of XML.
• Cheaper — The initial setup and operational costs of EDI are very
high. XML enables loose integration at a fraction of the effort and
cost of traditional EDI.
• Extensible — With XML, businesses do not need to replace or rebuild
their applications; instead, they can simply XML-enable the data and
systems they already have.
• Human readable — XML is both machine and human readable while
EDI is only machine-readable.