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Looked at one? I've written them by hand, while testing my SOAP server engine.

I don't think XML and "bloat" are the real problems with SOAP, though, at least for requests where relatively small amounts of application data are being pbutted. WSDL and UDDI are far, far worse. I recently read a fine article attacking the new WSDL draft on numerous grounds - some of which were initially raised by members of the drafting committee. It's not looking good.

In many circumstances, though, human-readable network protocols are preferable to non-readable ones, and more than justify their "bloat". And in many circumstances structure is preferable to a lack of it. XML isn't the only way to get those, but it's one way, and used correctly it can be a perfectly good one for some applications.

Where SOAP really went wrong is the obsession among its proponents that it be all things to all people. Had they simply tried to create a human-readable RPC mechanism, they'd have been in much better shape. As it is, they have something that's so general and convoluted that it's nearly impossible to create conforming, interoperable implementa- tions.

RSS, on the other hand, has always been an ad hoc mess. SOAP is over- standardized; RSS is under-standardized.

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A coding theorist is someone who doesn't think Alice is crazy. -- John Gordon