by Angela Guess
Richard Wallis believes that big things are just around the corner in the world of data. He writes, “Some in the surfing community will tell you that every seventh wave is a big one. I am getting the feeling, in the world of Web, that a number seven is up next and this one is all about data. The last seventh wave was the Web itself. Because of that, it is a little constraining to talk about this next one only effecting the world of the Web. This one has the potential to shift some significant rocks around on all our beaches and change the way we all interact and think about the world around us.”
He continues, “Sticking with the seashore metaphor for a short while longer; waves from the technology ocean have the potential to wash into the bays and coves of interest on the coast of human endeavour and rearrange the pebbles on our beaches. Some do not reach every cove, and/or only have minor impact, however some really big waves reach in everywhere to churn up the sand and rocks, significantly changing the way we do things and ultimately think about the word around us. The post Web technology waves have brought smaller yet important influences such as ecommerce, social networking, and streaming. I believe Data, or more precisely changes in how we create, consume, and interact with data, has the potential to deliver a seventh wave impact.”
photo credit: Andrew Ngai
