It looks like I'm going to be developing a solution for connecting to and utilizing a SOAP service. The learning hasn't been too painful and I'm finally getting through one of several tutorials. Research, read, learn and apply. I feel like my job is just a continuation of college. I just get a paycheck for doing it. Hey, nice concept.
Why am I developing a solution to connect to another business's service? Couldn't I just build a program to handle the exact same thing that that service provides? If I could I would. My direction isn't dictated by what I can build, but by what management is willing to spend on a project. Is the argument that the service already exists in another organization and for a small amount of money and a little bit of effort, we can use their services? Okay, but guess what? I already get paid to program, so why don't they use what's already here, me?
Why not let me spend my hours developing a software package in-house? Is it the cost? Is there some sort of liability? Is there a fear that the quality will be degraded because commercial software and/or services are thought to be superior than home grown ones that are customized to your individual need? How many commercial packages have you purchased in the past 10 years that you actually use because it's so easy to use and fits your needs?
Maybe the smart thing to do is invest some dollars into my own consulting firm and build services and develop software for all these places that are hell-bent on outsourcing? I don't know, I'm just saying. The future of computing is changing exponentially and I think my job description has changed a bit to include an extra bullet point: "prepare for the apocalypse".
