On the merging market front, the need for merging between different IT systems, I read happy news at:
451 Research delivers market sizing estimates for NoSQL, NewSQL and MySQL ecosystem by Matthew Aslett.
From the post:
NoSQL and NewSQL database technologies pose a long-term competitive threat to MySQL’s position as the default database for Web applications, according to a new report published by 451 Research.
The report, MySQL vs. NoSQL and NewSQL: 2011-2015, examines the competitive dynamic between MySQL and the emerging NoSQL non-relational, and NewSQL relational database technologies.
It concludes that while the current impact of NoSQL and NewSQL database technologies on MySQL is minimal, they pose a long-term competitive threat due to their adoption for new development projects. The report includes market sizing and growth estimates, with the key findings as follows:
You can get a copy of the report if you like but the important theme is that different IT vocabularies and approaches are going to be in play.
Which means translation costs between systems are going to sky rocket and be repeated with every IT spasm or change.
Unless you are hired to address integration/migration problems with topic maps of course.
On the database front, I would say things look pretty bright for topic maps!
PS: Any thoughts on how the collapse of Greece or its becoming a failed state is going to impact the merging market?