Web Services: A Manager's Guide

Rating:
Summary: An outstanding Web services resource for IT/MIS managers
Review: This book should be required reading for all IT/MIS managers getting involved with Web services. It clearly explains the past, present, and likely future value of Web services, putting key concepts in clear context, and cutting through the hype to explain:
1. How Web services relate to earlier distributed computing and enterprise application integration models -- lineage, Web services advantages, and integration considerations
2. What's practical with today's Web services tools and standards -- criteria for determining which applications to start with, as well as Web services product evaluation criteria and overviews (ranging from .NET and the Java platform to specialized/niche offerings)
3. Why and how Web services and the XML-based service-oriented architecture will productively impact most application development endeavors over time
4. Which of the myriad Web services-related standards initiatives are most significant

Anne Thomas Manes has a unique industry-insider perspective on the subject domain, having worked on pioneering distributed computing products, as an industry analyst, and as an influential contributor in many standards-related initiatives. She's also an excellent writer who can demystify complex technology topics and present pragmatic advice for readers seeking to understand and exploit new technologies.

Rating:
Summary: Fabulous!
Review: This is one of the most elegantly written books I have ever read in my carreer. It explains the entire Web services technology in simple terms that even a novice can understand. I especially liked the author's discussion on the hype around Web services spread by vendors. She also provides interesting discussion of both early failures (Hershey) and successes (Amazon, Google, UPS) of organizations that explored Web services that, by necessity, have to address enterprise application integration--especially with legacy applications.

Anne also gives in detail an impartial and objective evaluation of .NET vs. Java that is very enlightening and forever puts to rest the silly question folks keeps asking: "Do I choose Java or .NET?" Dude, the answer is "YES." And, can you say, "Interoperability" and "Peaceful Coexistence"?

Finally, I would love to see Anne to write a book providing an in-depth and competitive analysis of IBM WebSphere, Microsoft .NET, and Sun ONE.