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Oracle Beware — Google Tests Cloud-Based Database

Posted by Soulskill on from the db-two-point-oh dept.

narramissic writes "On Tuesday, the same day Google held a press event to launch its Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook, the company quietly announced in its research team blog a new online database called Fusion Tables. Under the hood of Fusion Tables is data-spaces technology, which would 'allow Google to add to the conventional two-dimensional database tables a third coordinate with elements like product reviews, blog posts, Twitter messages and the like, as well as a fourth dimension of real-time updates,' according to Stephen E. Arnold, a technology and financial analyst. 'So now we have an n-cube, a four-dimensional space, and in that space we can now do new kinds of queries which create new kinds of products and new market opportunities,' said Arnold, whose research about this topic includes a study done for IDC last August. 'If you're IBM, Microsoft and Oracle, your worst nightmare is now visible.'"

5 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Um... what? by Estanislao+Mart�nez · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How's this three dimensional stuff not just plain old OLAP?

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    1. Re:Um... what? by smallfries · · Score: 5, Funny

      Because it packs more hype into an n-cube, and fills a 4-dimensional space with marketing.

      Come on, that's impressive guys, right?

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  2. Re:Merged? by just_another_sean · · Score: 5, Funny

    'If you're IBM, Microsoft and Oracle, your worst nightmare is now visible.'

    I didn't realize they had merged.

    You just described my worst nightmare!

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  3. Worst nightmare indeed by Adrian+Lopez · · Score: 5, Funny

    Twitter coordinates, n-Cubes, and four-dimensional spaces... in a cloud?

    Gee... I'm glad it's not possible to die from a hype overdose.

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    "In prison you just have to shut your eyes and take it. Here you have to shut your eyes and give it."
  4. To be fair by Estanislao+Mart�nez · · Score: 5, Informative

    Looking over the actual Google blog announcement, this looks more like a case of the F article getting it all wrong. The "dimensionality" stuff is clearly not intended to be the innovation or selling point of Google's service; much less a differentiator relative to database vendors, who've had OLAP for ages.

    The real selling points seem to be an easy UI, a lot of predefined public data sets available to combine and correlate with your own data, and the collaboration features.

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