xml-dev - Re: XML Spy and ICComNet

["Alexander Falk" <falk@icon.at>]

I'm not at all sure that resolving the exact detail issues of the behavior
of our software in your unique network setup is suited for a public
discussion on xml-dev. I it were, then the list would probably soon be
cluttered with many tech-support issues between customers and vendors of
various software products.

Let me just say these things on the public list, before we move this thread
to our ordinary technical support channel:

a) the question is not, whether you are using DSL, cable-modems, or an
old-fashioned dial-up modem connection. The important fact is that you are
connecting more than one machine to the Internet and the question is, how
your own machines are hooked up to the ISP - either your ISP is giving you
one IP address per machine and your DSL modem is acting as a simple bridge
only - this means that ALL your internal traffic from ANY application is
always going to the ISP (and possibly to other customers of that ISP,
depending on their exact configuration). Or you are using a router-like
device that could be integrated into you modem, computer or any specialized
network box. Such a router will isolate all internal traffic and only route
packets destined to other hosts on the Internet to your ISP.

b) we have been testing our software in all sorts of networking
environments, like dial-up modem scenarios, leased-line configurations, and
cable-modem connections (which work identical to DSL with respect to the
permanence of the connection) and have made sure that our license-metering
module does not compromise the existing security in any way.

c) to make sure that no customer suffers any adverse effects, our technical
support staff is also able to selctively turn off the license-metering
module if any customer should report a problem that may be related to an
unforseen configuration or non-standard networking environment. This is
handled on a case-by-case basis and it has been our policy to always make
sure that the customer's interests come first!

Furthermore it should be noted here, that XML Spy will, of course, also
initiate Internet connections _on_demand_, that are totally unrelated to the
license-metering issue:

a) if a customer clicks the "Request evaluation key-code" in the
registration dialog on purpose, the three fields in the registration dialog
are transferred to our web server by means of a regular http (port 80)
connection and the free evaluation key-code is sent back to the customer via
regular SMTP e-mail.

b) if a customer uses the "Open URL..." dialog to open a document directly
from a URL, that document is retrieved through a http (port 80) connection.

c) if a customer opens an XML document that refers to an XML Schema or DTD
and said document is specified through a URL, it is also retrieved through a
http (port 80) connection, once the customer validates the XML document.

d) if a customer is using the "Send via mail..." command, the current
selection or file is sent by means of any MAPI-compliant mail program
installed on the user's PC.

All these communications are, of course, only initiated in response to a
direct request from the customer! XML is, after all, related to the Internet
and thus any XML development tool has to be tightly integrated with Internet
protocols in order to provide an efficient environment for the everyday
duties of any XML developer.

I hope that I have been able to answer all questions and clear up all issues
in detail here. Please feel free to contact me directly, if you have any
further questions that you'd like to bring up.

Sincerely,

Alexander Falk

... Icon Informations-Systeme GmbH
... makers of XML Spy - http://www.xmlspy.com
... ALEXANDER FALK
... President, CEO
... http://www.icon.at/falk


----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Kline" <bkline@rksystems.com>
To: "Alexander Falk" <falk@icon.at>
Cc: "Xml-Dev" <xml-dev@xml.org>; <beta@xmlspy.com>
Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2000 5:36 PM
Subject: Re: XML Spy and ICComNet


> The firewall is from ZoneAlarm.  I suspect the problem is that in the
> context of DSL services, the local network I have established between my
> own machines and the "local network segment" which includes machines
> controlled by other customers of my service provider are not at all the
> same thing.  I don't want any of my machines broadcasting *anything* to
> those other machines (and vice versa).  I gather you addressed this
> issue (correctly) for dialup connections, since you say the software
> doesn't do any broadcasting in that context, and the in-between land of
> DSL just hasn't been thought through yet.
>
> [BTW, I suspect this is sufficiently on topic and of interest to enough
> on the list to keep the thread here, but if you think otherwise, Peter,
> just say so, and we can take the rest of the exchange off-line.]



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