xmlrpc[1] is similar.

    <?xml version="1.0"?>
    <methodCall>
       <methodName>examples.getStateName</methodName>
       <params>
          <param>
             <value><i4>41</i4></value>
          </param>
       </params>
    </methodCall>

my favorite part[2] is how <params> only contain <param> elements within. each <param> has exactly one child. Why is it not just <params><i4>41</i4></params>?. Its no surprise that the creator of xmlrpc was involved with soap.

[1] http://www.xmlrpc.com/spec [2] not really.