JDL special issue on service-oriented computing: advanced user-centered concepts

Service-Oriented Computing (SOC) is a new computing paradigm that utilizes services as the lightweight constructs to support the development of rapid, low-cost and easy composition of distributed applications. Services are autonomous platform-independent computational elements that can be described, published, discovered, programmed and orchestrated to loosely coupled applications using standard protocols for the purpose of building agile networks of collaborating business applications, distributed within and across organizational boundaries The service-oriented approach is independent of specific programming languages or operating systems. It allows organizations to expose their core competencies programmatically over the Internet or a variety of networks, e.g., cable, UMTS, XDSL, Bluetooth, etc., using standard (XML-based) languages and protocols, and is implemented via a selfdescribing interface based on open standards. By building upon such standards, developers are given the opportunity to access applications deployed over the network based on what they do, rather than on how they do it, or how they have been implemented. SOC is changing the way software applications are designed, architected, delivered and consumed. Services help integrate applications that were not written with the intent to be easily integrated with other applications and define architectures and techniques to build new functionality while integrating the existing application functionality. Service-based applications are developed as independent sets of interacting services offering well-defined interfaces to their potential users. This is achieved without the necessity for tight coupling of applications between transacting partners, or for pre-determined agreements to be put into place, before the use of an offered service is allowed. The service model allows for a clear distinction to be made between service providers (organizations that provide the service implementations, supply their service descriptions, and provide related technical and business support); service