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Forrester Research is projecting that companies will spend nearly $5 billion on Web 2.0 technologies like mashups, wikis, widgets, and so on in the next five years. That explains the tremendous energy around the Web 2.0 Expo underway in San Francisco this week.

Tomorrow Anant Jhingran, CTO of Information Management, and RedMonk analyst Stephen O'Grady face off over the challenges of bringing Web 2.0 technologies into the enterprise in a session called "Creativity vs. Control: The Debate Continues—Can Enterprises Have Both?"

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Most read 2007 articles: DB2 and Informix

As we finish out one year and ramp up for another, I took a peek through the Web stats to see what was on visitors' minds when they stopped by the DB2mag site. I found a few surprises. Some of the most-read articles are from years ago. Two focus on Informix (evidence of that our expanded coverage there is finding an audience). Check out the top ten.

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The Great Undead, Part 2: The mainframe and the PC

If you read my previous post, you know I'm celebrating those technologies that, despite having been pronounced dead or dying, continue to live long and prosper. Reader Dave Nance accurately predicted my next entry, which I'm sure would appear on many of your lists, too. Of course, Dave and I are thinking of …

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The Great Undead, Part 1: Web 2.0, relational database management systems, and more

Every so often, a blogger, a reporter, an editor, a marketing exec, an analyst, or some attention seeker declares a popular technology dead. Controversy follows, generating, page views, publicity, blogosphere buzz, and the like. Don't you find it all little silly after a while? I know I do, especially after so many of these predictions have been so very wrong. Blame it on last week's spooky holiday, but I'm feeling inspired to celebrate a few fine specimens of the walking (and working) undead. Feel free to add your own favorites in the comments -- you might just extend my list.

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InformationWeek IT Salary Survey: Data management pays

Data mining/data warehouse professionals are among the highest paid IT managers and staffers, according to the 2007 InformationWeek IT Salary Survey. Based on information collected from more than 7,000 IT workers, the survey shows that median base salaries (not including bonuses) for IT workers in 2007 edged upwards for the first time in several years, but specialty, gender, age, and location made a big difference in earnings.

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IBM adds Princeton Softech, DataMirror to its growing Information Management family

Princeton Softech is soon to be part of IBM, and its data archiving, privacy, classification, discovery, and test data management software will be adopted into the Information Management group — home of DB2, Informix and the whole Information On Demand Strategy.

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Relational databases: A wonder of modern computing ?

Earlier this week, eWeek blogger Debra Donston asked readers to contribute their candidates for a list of seven wonders of modern computing. Several readers mentioned relational databases, E. F. Codd, and Chris Date as suitable candidates. If you'd like to show some love to the invention that gave us all a means of gainful employment, add your comment to the list.

Certainly, no one reading this needs to be reminded why the technology and its founding fathers merit "wonder" status. But if you'd like to explain it to acquaintances with less intimate database management technology knowledge, point them to this tribute to Dr. Codd and his creation on DB2mag.com or this one on IBM.com.

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Four names you'd never expect to see on DB2mag.com: Vanity Fair, Bono, Africa, and Bill Clinton

While on vacation last week, I snagged a copy of the July 2007 issue of Vanity Fair, which delves into Africa today. The issue contains articles on Desmond Tutu's continuing fight for equality (this one written by former U.S. president Bill Clinton), funding AIDS drugs for impoverished patients, China's "desperate oil grab," people rising above their struggles, and so on. I picked it up for a much less noble reason (I was on vacation after all): U2 front man (and global humanitarian) Bono graced the cover and served as guest editor. In any case, I found something I certainly wasn't expecting: an article about DB2.

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Informix User Head Count: Beyond the Numbers

A recent story in Computer Business Review online called
IBM has lost 80% of Informix users in six years claims that the number of Informix users today is around 20,000, which it says is down from 100,000 at the time of IBM's Informix acquisition. OK, before I start, let me ask you...what is a user?

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Is the mainframe dead after all?

It appears reports of the death of the mainframe might actually be true--at least, from a certain point of view (okay, I didn't buy that line when Obi-Wan Kenobi tried it either). In any case, today's "mainframes" are so radically different from their predecessors that it may be time to retire their well-worn moniker. At least that's the opinion of Donald Feinberg, VP and distinguished analyst in the information infrastructure practice at Gartner.

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An IBM security breach: Can you trust your contractors?

Last week, InformationWeek reported that tapes containing sensitive data on some IBM employees and customers vanished from a contractor's vehicle in late February just miles from IBM headquarters in Armonk, NY. An IBM spokesperson told InformationWeek that the tapes carried "different levels of protection." Other news outlets reported that only some of the tapes were encrypted. IBM has since notified affected employees (and offered them a year of free credit monitoring) and placed ads in local newspapers offering a reward for the tapes' return.

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Is anyone getting information security right?

In this issue's editor's note, I mention the spectacular failure on the part of prominent retailers (like TJX, which exposed at least 45 million records), government agencies (just this Saturday, the Transportation Safety Administration admitted to losing a laptop containing Social Security numbers and other personal data on 100,000 of its employees), and other organizations at preventing information theft--despite the compliance mandate to do so.

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DB2 Magazine gets the community spirit

Some of you have noticed that the first DB2 Magazine issue of the year is a few months later than usual. And, since you're reading this new blog, you've probably already guessed why: We've been busily working out the next chapter in the magazine's history.

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