[StJacques]

". . . So does perl, php, and Java. Things built with a UNIX philsophy can interact with any other applicaion. This is not something invented (or even done best) by MS"

But can a perl app on a UNIX server interact (two-way) with a COBOL or RPG app on an OS/400 server without going through an Application Server constructed to handle the interaction?

Can a Java app on a UNIX server interact (two way) with an SPSS app on a mainframe?

Can a php app on a UNIX server call any procedural code (RPG, COBOL, etc.) on a second, remote server (other than the one on which the php app is installed) in which Java is not enabled?

Give me answers to all three questions.

After you answer those questions I'll give you a rundown of how .NET can handle all of this.

[N3WBI3]

But can a perl app on a UNIX server interact (two-way) with a COBOL or RPG app on an OS/400 server without going through an Application Server constructed to handle the interaction?

So long as the app has an API interface, yes it can..

Can a Java app on a UNIX server interact (two way) with an SPSS app on a mainframe?

Yes infact we do some of that at my shop, our Java guys are pretty sharp. There is a company called openconnedt that sells such products as well.

Can a php app on a UNIX server call any procedural code (RPG, COBOL, etc.) on a second, remote server (other than the one on which the php app is installed) in which Java is not enabled?

Yes so long as the other serve is listening for it, mind you directly calling is an aweful idea and leads to security mess later down the road..