In this Ignite Talk, John Troyer delves into the historical figure of Cardinal Richelieu, often depicted as a villain in popular culture, particularly in Alexander Dumas’ “The Three Musketeers.” Troyer argues that Richelieu, who served as the de facto Prime Minister of France in the 17th century, was a complex character who took drastic measures […]
Close Encounters with the Third Kind of Database
Gary Orenstein’s Ignite Talk, “Close Encounters with the Third Kind of Database,” addresses the evolution of databases and the need for a new type that merges transactional (OLTP) and analytical (OLAP) capabilities. He highlights the inefficiencies and frustrations associated with the traditional ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) process, which creates a gap between these two types […]
The Economics of Cloud or Why Amazon is Doomed (Maybe)
In his Ignite Talk, Justin Warren discusses the economic challenges facing Amazon, particularly focusing on the company’s low-margin business model. He explains the basic principles of microeconomics, highlighting the difference between high-margin, low-volume businesses like Apple and low-margin, high-volume businesses like Amazon. Warren points out that Amazon’s profitability heavily relies on AWS, which is costly […]
The Future of Work is Childs Play
Theo Priestley argues that the future of work should be informed by the younger generation, specifically children, rather than millennials. He shares insights from a project where he asked primary school children about their vision for the future workplace. The children envisioned practical and innovative solutions such as AI for productivity, multi-purpose work surfaces, renewable […]
Innovation and Football
Rob Whiteley’s Ignite Talk, “Innovation and Football,” draws parallels between the NFL’s handling of Tom Brady’s deflated ball scandal and the broader theme of innovation versus the status quo. Whiteley argues that the severe penalties imposed on Brady and the Patriots were less about the actual infraction and more about challenging established norms and refusing […]
9 Business Lessons I Learned From Baseball
In his Ignite Talk, Stephen Foskett draws parallels between baseball and business, highlighting nine key lessons. He emphasizes the unpredictability of both fields, noting that just as every baseball field varies in size and shape, business environments are also diverse and ever-changing. Foskett underscores the importance of patience, adaptability, and resilience, likening the need to […]
Who’s Pissing In Your Data Lake?
In her Ignite Talk titled “Who’s Pissing In Your Data Lake?”, Karen Lopez uses a humorous and vivid analogy to highlight the importance of maintaining data integrity and quality in data lakes. She recounts a real-life incident where a man urinated in a reservoir in Oregon, leading to the costly and unnecessary draining of millions […]
Ignite Data Field Day 1
Let’s light off a discussion on big data, analytics, and webscale technologies! Join the Data Field Day delegates at the offices of MemSQL for an evening of Ignite-style talks, food and drink, and networking. We will start at 6 with drinks and food, followed by quick Ignite-style talks at 7. Get your free ticket now! Anyone interested in […]