As you all read this post, you will be well aware of Microsoft acquiring DATAllegro this morning. Congratulations to the entire DATAllegro team for this achievement. This does point out an important message to the Data warehouse industry, Data Warehouse Appliances are here to stay. There are a lot of questions that will arise from this acquisition no doubt, but what intrigues me is now that Microsoft has made its move, we have Sun-Greenplum, Microsoft-DATAllegro, HP-Neoview, IBM-Balanced Configuration, Oracle-???.

I'm currently on vacation in Bangalore, India. More than any other aspect, the rise of M-Commerce or mobile phone marketing is very interesting. While it is considered as spamming in many parts of the world including back home in the US, the mobile phone users here in India seem to like the inundation of marketing offers on their mobile phone. When I make or receive calls, based on my location (based on the switch data probably), my phone receives messages about the nearest malls offering sales or a nearby coffee shop offering specials or a new movie that might interest me etc.

Good morning from sunny Phoenix, Arizona. The first independent analyst platform conference is well into day 3. Rick Van Der Lans the organizer has done an incredible job of getting 25 of the world's independent analysts and thought leaders and 18 plus vendors executives together for a series of presentations and discussions. Great atmosphere and discussions inspite of 114 plus degrees outside.