After completing Lab assignment 1, I now have a better understanding of XML. Prior to this class, I hadn't worked with XML at all. I recently transferred from Saint Louis University where we worked primarily with Java. I have heard of XML, and understood a few of the basic concepts, but never actually written it.
Actually, prior to this semester, I have never even used Visual Studio. So far, I really like using Visual Studio. It seems like it provides some very nice code editing features that Java editors lacked.
I am looking forward to this weeks discussion of middleware and SAP XI. From my understanding, middleware is a type of software that allows for communication between multiple systems. This seems like a very interesting topic because of the importance of system compatibility within an organization. Within an organization, it's crucial that systems are able to "sync up" and work talk to each other. I am really looking forward to learning more about the topic.