| The Open CRS
Platform
By: David J. Wardell
© 1999 By: David J.
Wardell. Reproduction or redistribution in any form without
written permission is strictly prohibited. |
||
| In the computer systems world (apart from the
travel business), the "Open
Systems" concept means embracing platforms (protocols, operating
systems,
interchange formats, and so on) that transcend vendors, are developed
collectively with groups of vendors and users, and that are continually
refined based upon changing developments, technology advances, and so
on.
In a practical sense, using an "Open System" means taking
advantage of the
best technology and devices the market can make available, as opposed to
the
proprietary framework imposed by a single vendor.
Thus, the UNIX world is "open" because it transcends a single vendor and meets the other criteria I refer to, while IBM's AS/400 world is "closed" because everyone operating in that world is a captive of IBM. In travel technology, while there are a number of people using "Open Systems" techniques, as far as travel-specific technology (such as CRS) is concerned, nobody does any of this. In my mind, an "Open CRS platform" is a meaningless term, because it meets none of the criteria I referenced while confusing people because of language into believing that it might. What people really mean (usually) when they refer to the "Open CRS Platform" is their own ability to control what workstation and connectivity technology they use (which is still controlled by the vendor and thus not really "open,") and their desire to route bookings to a CRS host of their choosing from their own hardware (which is an activity of limited value in my opinion). I tend to put "Open CRS Platform" into the same category occupied by "GDS"--warm words that don't mean anything and that I avoid except where compelled. |
