ZDNet's David Berlind examines IBM and Microsoft sponsored XML-based web protocols, and questions the lack of an 'independent standards body' governing these de facto standards, royalties, and more. Berlind writes . . .

“The XML-based protocols UDDI, SOAP and WSDL, which together form the foundation of Web services, are at the center of a controversial power play.”

“. . . establishing de facto standards might not be so difficult. Together, IBM and Microsoft can market anything that they'd like to turn into a de facto standard, build the supporting technologies, and then give them away. That's exactly what's been happening . . . ”

“. . . To date, WSDL, SOAP, and UDDI and some related protocols are widely regarded as having achieved standards status. They've achieved nothing of the sort, because neither the W3C nor any other independent standards body has put their imprimaturs on them . . . “

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