Extensible Markup Language (XML) has become one of the most common data interchange formats, and the most common for newer applications. Electronic data interchange (EDI), on the other hand, has been in existence for a long time, and has acquired a significant following among companies that invested heavily in EDI networks and applications. Now, XML has emerged as a competitor to EDI formats, and therefore the object of many attempts to define and develop mixed EDI/XML environments. The authors provide some analysis of research in this area, as well as practical recommendations for those who are interested in EDI/XML topics.

This paper demonstrates the authors’ view on the essential parts of XML, which differs somewhat from what is commonly believed to be the core of the XML standard. Section 3 contains a description of an XML/EDI prototype, simulating business document sharing between farmers’ associations in Hong Kong and wholesale markets. The prototype uses common technology (namely, Microsoft SQL server), and older validation mechanisms, for example document type definitions (DTDs) instead of XML schemas. However, the authors observe that validation via DTDs has some weaknesses.

The paper closes with several common sense recommendations on document representation, processing, storage, and reuse. Although the recommendations are not technically sophisticated, they will be useful for those who are just beginning to use XML.

Overall, the paper provides interesting information for novice users of XML who are somewhat familiar with EDI and virtual area networks (VANs).