A thought for S3

[Francis McCabe <fmccabe@gmail.com>]

I have been ruminating a little on the issue with assertions, policies, goals, etc. etc. in S3.

I think that it may be worth factoring out the semantics aspects of the ecosystem view into a separate model. Thus, you would have three models in S3:

The Social Structure Model

Acting in a SOA Ecosystem Model

Semantics in a SOA Ecosystem Model

The last model would bring together the semantic aspects of the ecosystem:

assertions = proposition + 'force'

fact = proposition + belief

policies = proposition + enforcement

goal = proposition + desire

purpose = proposition + use/role

proposition = syntax + vocabulary + decision procedure

In addition, there would have to be a big message in the beginning of S3 (in bold flashing letters) that a linear exposition is not possible, hence the profligate use of hyperlinks.

I think that semantics is actually pretty important in SOA. What this model does is highlight the different ways in which semantics plays a role in the ecosystem. It also shows that it is not 'one thing' but a related set of concepts.

Comments?